Did you know I
by HenryVIII
Summary: No matter how hard he tried, the relationship with Pepper didn't turn out to be good. After visiting her, Tony got to know, he obviously had a son. Spending time with him, seemed to better his life in a fantastic way, but something was wrong: Weird conversations with his mates, uncertainty and headaches worsened Stark's condition again...
1. Chapter 1

Pepper was shocked. She stared at Tony and clenched her fist.

'What are you doing here, Mister Stark?', she asked ungratefully.

'I just wanted to see what you're up to. How are you? Is everything alright?', Tony responded, looking inside of the mansion, 'Beautiful. Still no reason to doubt your taste. May I come in?'

'No way', she shouted.

Tony stumbled backwards and lifted his hands.

'I'm not going to hurt anybody. I just want to talk to you.'

'But I'm not going to talk to you. Leave this place, please.'

She cock her eyebrows. Tony could her noises coming from inside. A little boy went to Pepper and started asking:

'Who is that, mum? Are you okay? What are you doing here? It's cold outside, why doesn't the man come in?'

The child changed glance all the time while talking to the adults. Scrutinizing the boy Tony noticed his thick, brown hair and his big, brown eyes.

'Go back to your room, Eddie.'

The child nodded and ran back.

'Eddie?', Tony laughed, 'Did Happy choose this name?'

'Edward. And no, it was me who chose the name. I thought it's the best name for him.'

Stark was stunned. He kept silent and stared into Pepper's confident, but in some way sad, eyes. His opponent breathed deeply.

'Can I still do anything for you, Mister Anthony Edward Stark?'

Tony just turned and went to his car where Banner still waited. He got in, sat down and looked out the front window.

'What's wrong?', Bruce asked as he saw Tony's angry face.

Without fastening Tony started the motor and moved off fastly. Banner's head was pushed against the headrest.

'Stark? What's wrong?', he brawled afraid.

'Did you know it!?', Tony screamed.

'Know what?'

'I've got a son, did you know that!?'

'You've got a what!?', Banner shouted back.

'YES! That's the right answer, thank you, doctor!'

The rest of their way back to the Stark Tower, both men were silent. Bruce felt sorry for Tony to find out why Pepper actually left him. But he wasn't sure if Stark recognized it as the reason by himself. Stark headed to his shop after coming into the Stark Tower. Thor gazed after him and turned around to Banner. Bruce shook his head and said quietly:

'You better don't talk to him. Serious problem.'

The god looked confused and replied: 'What did just happen?'

'Imagine…there's a woman you love, she leaves you and you find out she concealed your child from you…'

Banner immediately shook his head again, lowered his head and passed by. Thor went over to Barton and Natasha sitting in the great living-room.

'Already heard. Don't tell it again, please. I don't want to think about it more than necessary', Natasha claimed.

Barton watched Thor sitting down on a settle.

'What are we -'

'We won't do anything about it, Thor. It's Stark's problem, not ours.'

Barton got an unbelieving glaze from the mighty god.

'I thought we would be friends now', Thor whispered.

Clint looked down to the bottom and didn't respond. Carefully Bruce walked into the shop to look after his 'sciencebro'. Tony, sitting on his chair behind the desk, wasn't moving.

'Leave me alone.'

Banner sat down next to him.

'Leave me…ALONE', Tony repeated.

'What if I don't? Do you want to beat me up? I can get angry then. And after that, you aren't so lucky anymore.'

'Lucky?', Tony said and stood up, 'You call it lucky?'

'You got me wrong, Stark. Calm down again.'

'What do you want from me?'

Banner sighed.

'I don't want anything. I just don't feel well with leaving you alone. I know how it feels to be alone all the time. Depressions aren't a rarity in your position, Tony. So please don't send me away.'

'Bruce?'

'Tony.'

'Who am I?'

'Well…First of all a friend of mine. Then you're a genius. A billionaire. A playboy. A philantropist. And finally you're Iron Man.'

'Yes.'

Tony took his jacket from the chair and walked to the door.

'Yes.'

'Where are you going?'

'I'll take a walk. Don't wait for me.'

A few days later Steve came into the shop. He cought sight of Bruce and asked:

'Where is Stark?'

The doctor, concentrated staring at the solution in vitro in front of him, pointed behind himself.

Tony stood inside the boxing ring and tried to improve his technique.

'Working out?'

Tony hit the punchbag again and again.

'I need to talk to you', Steve said loudly.

'Well, let's talk', Tony answered and went on hitting the punchbag.

Steve watched him a few minutes. Then he claimed Tony to get out of the ring to listen to him.

Tony didn't stop.

'In that case…', Steve spoke to himself and climbed in the ring.

Banner looked up to them over his glasses. Steve was relaxed when he took off the punchbag and threw it to the side.

'Get out of my way, Cap.'

The Captain looked at his smaller fellow.

'Want to fight?'

Without hesitating Tony punched into Steve's face.

The super-soldier staggered and leaned back his head.

'Is that all you've got?', he said, straightened his back and lunged out.

Tony cowered, then he struck Steve's stomach region. By looking up to his face, Tony noticed regretfully it was useless. Steve struck back into Tony's face. The man hold his hands ahead of his face and tumbled backwards to the ropes.

'No woman, no cry. No men, no fight', Banner exclaimed and went up to get help.

'You still move like an old man, Rogers. You can't do anything about it!', Tony mumbled.

'But I'm feeling fine. How is your face?', Steve laughed loudly.

Tony saw blood on his boxing gloves. It was running out of his nose. When Banner returned with Thor in tow, Steve already was going to heave Tony up. They were growling at each other.

'Do something', Banner mentioned Thor and sat down again.

Thor came over. Steve heaved Tony even higher.

'STOP IT RIGHT NOW!'

The powerful voice of the mighty god resounded through the whole shop.

Carefully Steve set down Tony again and left the boxing ring.

'Wash your face and get up. I need to talk to you.'

Thor, Banner and Tony watched Steve parading to the stairs. Full of anger Stark squinted his eyes. After that he left the shop for having a shower on his private floor. One floor beneath the others waited for him in the living-room. As Tony came in he felt uncomfortable. All of them looked at him. As if he had all the time in the world, the billionaire walked to the couch and unpacked a Twinky during taking a seat. Clint shook his head.

'Anything to say? I'm hungry.'

The Avengers realized Tony was pissed off.

'Now what is it? Why did you interrupt my training?'

Natasha smiled and came back at him:

'We haven't seen you for a while.'

'That's right. Good appprehension, master-assassin Romanoff.'

'Stop jeering her', Bruce advised.

'I just want to know what's up so I can go and do what I want.'

'I get stomachache when I'm watching you, Tony', Steve explained.

'Easy to solve: Don't watch me.'

'Yea, again you're thinking you'd be the smartest person on this planet.'

'I don't think that. I know it. Anything else?', the scientist grumbled and stood up.

'Plonk yourself down!', the leader shouted.

So Stark sat down again.

'Tony, what has happened when you visited Miss Potts?'

Tony started grinning and responded:

'Actually nothing happened. Too bad, huh? I even wasn't allowed to kiss her. What a pity!'

Banner interposed another advice: 'Don't make jokes about serious things.'

'Well okay. Then I'd like to ask a question: Why don't you mind your own frigging business!?'

He stood up again.

'Sit down! Otherwise I'll beat you down again.'

Steve was getting aggressive. However Tony grinned again and told his friends not to worry, also to trust him.

'I always know what I'm doing.'

Once they heard the door closing, they looked at each other.

'Like I told you', Hawkeye mentioned, 'It's worthless. He still thinks he's an island.'

Bruce clicked his tongue and reposted:

'I don't think so. I guess the problem is HOW our captain speaks to Tony. Because Tony doesn't like this commanding tone. You needn't stop talking when he says you should stop it, but it's about how you talk to him. Stay kind and don't stop talking and look who's listening afterwards. '

'You strange mortals. After all he smiled, I don't get the problem', Thor added to the discussion.

'The problem is, that the saddest people smile the brightest', Clint told him.

Thor was confused. It still didn't make sense at all. Why should anyone smile, when feeling angry or sad? So he decided to look for his brother Loki. It has been a hard work to convince the others to let him live in the Stark Tower after everything that happened, but the hard work was worthwhile. They still called him the 'evil one', but in some unbelieveable way Loki was more empathic to the mortals than Thor ever could have been. Maybe he could try to explain this hurly-burly. Thor knocked at Lokis door, opened it very slowly and looked in.

'What is it, brother?', the Thundergod could hear him say.

Hours later Thor ran through the whole Tower and screamed for the others.

'I'M WAITING FOR YOU AT THE BAR-STOREY!'

Tony dropped his wrench.

'How long does it take to explain this mighty, dozy god how to actuate the intercom?'

Banner started laughing. Both of them washed their hands and went up to the third floor, where Clint, Steve and Thor were already waiting.

'It's 5 p.m.. Is there any reason to start shouting the tower down?', Stark grumbled.

'The beefcake right here had got an idea', Barton answered.

'An idea about what?'

'You'll go to Potts house again.'

Tony looked to Steve. Then to Clint. After that over to Banner. He pressed his lips together, screwed up his eyes, shook his head and said in reply:

'What the fuck are you talking about? Why can't you just -'

'Let him finish?', Steve asked.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest, looking as if he pretened to be interested.

'I think to make you happy again, you should talk to your son.'

Tony smiled ironically and looked around.

'So you all know about it?', he turned his head to Bruce, 'Wow.'

Therewith he went to the door. Suddently Bruce was shouting. Tony stopped terrified. Turning around he could see Banner clenching his fists.

'You better get over HERE again. I'm tired of your running off actions.'

Stark capitulated and sneaked to the men.

'Tony', Steve started, 'You've got a serious problem with yourself I think. Especially right now. I can imagine you're agonizing how that could happen. And what it might mean for you. But at the moment it has priority that he's gonna growing up like you. That's the fact, isn't it?'

Banner stared at the tiles of the bottom and continued:

'After your father's death Obadiah Stane has been caring for you. And he was a disappointment.'

'You needn't to be scared you could also be a disappointment for your own son. You aren't such a bad person, Tony. You're just…complicated. Sometimes. Strictly speaking you're always complicated', Clint added.

'What do you expect? I just walk into her house, take the boy and get out again?'

'Loki's going to help you. He will persuade the lady.'

'Loki's help! Right! That's what I needed! Help from a', Thor constricted his muscles, '…a…a fun-loving, rhoughtfully, tiny god.'

Thor relaxed, whereon Tony wiped the sweat from his forehead.

'Come on. Do it for me, sciencebro.'

Tony directly started smiling.

'Got no other choice, huh?'

Clint and Steve shook their heads.

Prompt Tony headed to the elevator. After arriving at his storey, Tony picked out the band-shirt of Black Sabbath and changed. His head began to hurt. Down in the lobby Loki already waited. In silence Stark passed him and went out. Loki followed silently as well. Sitting in the car they disdained to notice each other.

Several minutes later they could see Pepper's house. Tonys parked the car next to the pavement and got off. So Loki did.

'I'll wait here watching you.'

Tony didn't give an answer and moved on. The sound of the doorbell made him sick. A short second he turned around and looked at Loki, who abutted on the car.

The door opened, Tony rolled over quickly. No one.

'What do you want, stranger!?'

Tony lowered his eyes. Edward stood in the door holding his small hand against the adult. On his palm there was a repulsor-replication out of plastic. Tony widened his eyes.

'Calm down, boy. Is your mother at home?', he brought out clumsily.

'She was sad right after you had gone. So what do you want, stranger!?'

Suddenly Pepper carried him off his feet and said:

'I already told you, you aren't a hero yet. Don't open the door for ANY stranger.'

Edward nodded. Pepper let him down slowly. She looked to Loki.

'Your new friend?'

Loki grinned and turned around.

'Mental support.'

'For?'

'Listen, Pepper: - '

'What if I tell you -'

'-I came here to talk to you.'

'-I want you to get off my property?'

'I want to talk to you.'

'No way. Get off my -'

'No way!'

Loki faced them again and set on an obscure facial expression. Reluctant Pepper went to the side to let Tony in. He went to the foyer and regarded the white walls.

'He doesn't even know Tony Stark, but he's a huge fan of Iron Man', Pepper said quietly.

After that she conducted Tony to the living-room. Edward was playing with his toy cars. He pretended to shoot them with the repulsor.

'Eddie, may you go to your -'

'No', Tony interrupted, 'Let him play here, we can sit down next to him and talk.'

Pepper took a deep breath and sighed.

'Do you want to drink anything? Scotch?', she asked annoyed.

'Thank you, I'd be fine with a glass of water.'

Pepper lay her head askew, irritated watching him.

Bit by bit Tony turned his head towards her and smiled.

'It doesn't even look faithfully, Tony.'

'You can't imagine how hard I'm trying', Tony answered still smiling.

Just then they heard the noise of keys at the maindoor.

'I'm begging you strongly, Tony: Please don't behave like you used to do.'

Clueless he shrugged his shoulders. Hogan went in and shouted: 'I'm back.'

Unsure if she should left her son alone with the man she left, Pepper gnawed her nails shortly. Tony observed her going to the door.

'What are you doing here?'

Tony looked down to Edward. He was standing right in front of him, staring on his chest.

'I'm an old friend.'

'My Mum doesn't seem to be glad to see you, old friend.'

Tony smiled again.

'You know what? You're a really clever child with good observation skills.

Edward laughed joyfully.

'I'm going to be a hero!'

'Oh, really?'

'Yes! I'm going to be part of the Adventures!'

'The Avengers?'

'Yes! Look!'

Edward hold his hand against him again. The child just started talking. Tony had problems to understand what this boy actually wanted to tell him.

'And this is very special!', he said and took off the repulsor, 'Iron Man made it for me!'

Edward handed the replication over to Tony.

Tony widened his eyes and responded: 'Really!?'

'Yes. I'm his biggest fan and he likes me!'

Stark felt like he had never seen such a excitement. Edward had to take deep breaths again and again, because he forgot to breathe over talking.

'May I show you something special about me?', Tony asked carefully.

The boy's eyes glistened. He nodded nervous.

'Come one.'

Tony helped him getting onto the couch. Then he pulled up his shirt. The shining got even more intensive.

'What is that? Am I allowed to touch it?'

'Be my guest', Tony said smiling to still Edward's fears.

Edward stroked the surrounding of the arc reactor and recoiled.

'It's cold!'

'It's just the mounting.'

'What does it do?', Edward approached to the reactor close with his face.

'It keeps me alive.'

Edward laughed and jumped on Tony's lap.

'You're funny.'

Seeking help Tony took a look around. Edward pulled down Tony's shirt and looked up to his eyes again.

'So now what are you doing here? I'm living here with my mom and my dad.'

'You are?'

Tony felt sick once more.

'Yes. But my dad is working so hard. Other wise we would have to move, so - '

'Hello, Mister Stark!', Happy, standing at the door, shouted.

'Don't be so loud…', Edward whispered.

Tony turned the face to Hogan and grinned. Edward felt how gently Tony set him on the couch during standing up. He walked over to Happy, took his hand and dragged Happy's shoulder to his own. Hogan laughed and asked:

'How are you!?'

'Feeling quite well. What about you?'

'Oh, I'm feeling great!', Hogan got closer to Tony's ear, 'What the hell are you doing here?'

Right away Tony stopped smiling.

'Harold…', Pepper said, 'May I speak to you for a second? Outside?'

Hogan released Tony's hand, followed Pepper into the kitchen afterwards. The left-behind felt even sicker.

'Let's play with the cars and the impulsor!', Edward exclaimed.

'You mean repulsor.'

Tony couldn't help it, he started smiling again.

'Yes, come over!'

The man did Edward's bidding and sat down next to him on the floor. Regardless they played a few minutes until Edward asked:

'Are you my old friend now?'

Tony looked at him. He looked at Tony. Stark swallowed hardly. His throat was tight and dry. He couldn't speak a single word and nodded instead. Harold and Pepper started arguing. Edward lowered his head and twitched on the carpet.

'They often do that. It's so loud sometimes.'

Without a word Tony stood up. Shocked because Edward thought Tony was leaving, he stared at him desperately. His eyes slowly filled with tears. Tony grinned and suggested:

'Do you want to fly like Iron Man does?'

The boy's face was ablaze with his smile, the adult laughed and raised the child up over his head. Edward laughed loudly when Tony ran through the room.

'No!', Tony stopped, 'I don't think Iron Man is laughing during his flights to save the world with his friends.'

He set down Edward and perched before him.

'Let's practice some evil glances!'

'Yes, Tony!'

Tony smiled briefly, then he murmured and pushed forward his lower lip to look angry. The boy tried to impersonate him. Just then Tony had to pull himself together, so that he didn't start laughing. He murmured again to support his 'bad mood'. Also Edward started murmuring.

'That's good!', Tony laughed.

Edward was grinning at him.

'No, don't stop it.'

Upset Edward looked around shortly, set on the mad face again and murmured.

'Tony?'

Both of them turned around and looked to Pepper.

'It would be best, if you leave now.'

Tony nodded impatiently and got up.

'No!', Edward clamored.

'Yes, Edward. Your father doesn't want Tony to stay. I'm sorry.'

'But he's my friend now!'

Edward ran after Tonys and yelled:

'Will you come back!?'

Tony stared at the door. Once again he turned around and perched to be on Edward's size.

'Sure, if I'm allowed to.'

'You'll be my guest! Then you can stay as long as you want to!'

Stark smiled hurt and stood up.

'You know what, Edward?'

'No. What?'

'I think Iron Man is your fan, too.'

Indignant Edward replied:

'Of course he is. Otherwise I wouldn't have that repulsor!'

'Yea, indeed. How could I just forget.'

By the time Tony went to the car, Edward stood at the window watching him. Loki looked at Tony after he sat down. A few minutes passed by.

'Your eyes are shining.'

'Huh?'

'Your eyes are shining', Loki repeated.

'Shut up', Tony nagged and drove back to the Stark Tower.

Clint and Natasha spent their time on cooking when Tony came to the dining-storey. Thor and Steve were sitting at the table waiting to fill their bellies. Stark sat down next to them. They started looking at each other until Steve asked:

'How was it? Is everything alright?'

'He's gorgeous', Tony told them abstractedly.

'Tell us', Natasha responded while she snuggled into Hawkeye.

'Huh?', Tony looked up to all of them, 'Oh well…He's talking really much, He's very excited about new things he sees. He obviously hates it, when people start screaming at him…'

'Clearly your son', Hawkeye laughed and stirred the sauce.

Tony polished his tools when JARVIS started talking:

'Sir, Miss Potts is trying to call you. May I patch her through to you?'

Wiping over his forehead, Tony took his Stark Phone.

'What is it, Pepp?'

'What do you do?'

'Huh? I'm working…What's wrong?'

'You promised you would come back', she sounded angrily, 'But you still haven't. It's almost a week now and Edward is complaining all the time when his 'old friend' might come back.'

'Wait, wati, wait. I was waiting for your consolation -'

'Your shouldn't promise things, -'

'- I could visit you again -'

' - you can't stick to.'

' - because I don't want Happy to beat me up!', Pepper got silent, 'Or call the police or something…'

Both waited for a new reaction from each other until Pepper asked:

'When are you going to come?'

'Might take a few -'

'Just hurry, okay?'

Pepper ended the conversation. Stark rolled his eyes and sighed. It nearly took two hours till Tony arrived. Standing before the door, he could hear someone crying. Happy begged Pepper to shut it up. After ringing the doorbell, Tony put his hands into his trouser pockets. Harold wasn't pleased to see him. Tony on the other hand smiled at Happy and said:

'Hey.'

'Your old friend, Pepper!', Happy just shouted.

The crying stopped. Interested Tony took a look inside. Pepper walked to the door, Edward carried in her arms, who turned his head to Tony.

'These tear-dimmed eyes which are watching me, are those yours?', Stark asked with a strong body language.

'Listen to me carefully, Tony: Would you do me a favour?'

'Well', Tony grinned, 'I used to do.'

Pepper took a deep breath and repeated her question.

'Yes', Tony answered apatheticly.

'Take him to the tower and look out for him.'

'What?', Tony replied shocked.

Pepper walked in and set down Edward. Then she disappeared in the bathroom. Immediately Edward ran to Tony and hugged his leg. Tony felt paralyzed. Loaded with a bag Pepper returned. It had a Captain America Shield overprint.

'Don't you think it's a little bit exaggerated, Eddie?', Tony said and laughed.

Edward released him and took the bag. Something wasn't right and Tony wasn't quite obliged with it. Pepper knelt down and kissed her son. After that she looked up to Tony and told him to take care of Edward. Tony just nodded and went to the car.

'Tony, wait! The booster seat!'

'Don't need it, thanks.'

'Not for your!'

Tony turned around one more time, before he placed Edward in the car.

'Do you think I'm stupid? I exactly know what I'm doing. It's a full-time job to be a genius, you know?'

With these words Tony entered the car. Pepper ran to it and saw him pushing a button. In that moment a special safety device embranced Edward's body. Tony nodded and looked at Pepper.

'How cool is that?'

Suddenly Pepper was speechless. She took several attemps to speak until she brought out:

'How did you…When did you…What….'

'It's alright, baby. I'll bring him back as you want me to.'

Tony pushed up the window again and started the motor. With a chuckle Pepper knocked at the window. Tony pushed it down again.

'Sorry for interrupting your cool outflow. Do me another favour and don't fill the child up with junk food.'

Tony set on a compassionate expression.

'No. Please don't. If you're going to make him some chips or anything…dress a salate, too.'

Tony pushed up the window grinning. Pepper lay her head leaning and smiled. Then she watched the car driving away.

During the drive Tony looked at Edward from time to time.

'What's up, buddy?'

No reaction.

'Wow, it's going to be a great and interesting conversation.'

Still no reaction.

'I can entertain myself quite well, you know? And if you don't entertain me, I'll do it on my own. Rabla bla, I'm siiiinging in the caaaar. Yea, siiiiiiiiinging in the caaaar. What a gloooorious feelin', I'm haaaappy again.'

'And I am sad.'

'Why are you sad, Eddie?'

'Because. That's why!'

'Don't insult my discussion skills. You can't establish a contention without proving it's substance.'

Edward was confused and looked at the driver. Tony laughed again. A few minutes later he helped the boy getting out of the car. Edward heaved his head and scrutinized the building.

'It reaches the sky!'

Tony clicked his tongue and answered:

'Not quite.'

He took Edward inside and went to the lift. Reaching the living-room Natasha straightaway said: 'Oh, dear! Who's that?'

Thor and Clint turned around. The god started lauhing. In that moment Edward dropped his bag an ran to him.

'YOU ARE THE THUNDERMAN!'

'That's not quite correct', Thor responded.

'WHERE'S YOUR HAMMER!?', Edward screamed excited.

'Well it isn't in your range.'

Edward climbed up the couch and sat down between Clint and Thor. Then he grabbed the zapper and asked:

'Can I turn on the TV with this?'

He looked around.

'Don't you have one?'

'JARVIS, cart out the television', Tony whispered.

Edward was pushing several buttons while the television drove out a trap inside the wall. By discovering the TV, Edward started to laugh. Tony instead turned towards Natasha.

'I'm going to the shop. Would you take care?'

Clint responded:

'Your guest, your responsibility.'

Tony rubbed his eyes. After that he said:

'Come on, boy. I'll show you everything.'

'But I want to sit by the Thunderman!'

'Actually there more exciting things to see…'

Edward jumped off the couch and ran over to Tony again.

'I'll come back, Thunderman!', Edward shouted and went out of the room.

Thor laughed and looked at Tony, who shrugged his shoulders.

After a while of showing Edward the tower, they came to the shop-storey.

'JARVIS, please shut down the suit-segment-gate.'

'Sir, shall I -'

'Just do it.'

'What was that?', Edward said shocked and looked around.

'Not of importance.'

When they came to the shop, Banner immediatly asked: 'Did you want to kill me?'

'What do you mean?', Tony replied confused.

'I was standing right under the gate and suddenly it shut down!'

'Oh, I'm sorry. I just - '

'Do all adventures live in here?', Edward interrupted.

'Yes, all avengers are living here. At least more or less', Tony answered smiling.

'Where's Iron Man!?', Edward shouted and turned to Bruce, 'Are you the real Iron Man!?'

Banner laughed.

'No', he said, 'But I'm a good friend.'

'Will he come here today!?' Edward looked over to Tony.

'I don't think so. He's got to do many things as a super-hero.'

Edward lowered his head slowly. Tony was thinking about what to say.

'The day will come when you meet Iron Man, don't worry.'

Bruce looked at them over his glasses and smiled to himself. Then Edward walked over to Banner and looked at his test tubes.

'Can I drink that?'

Banner widened his eyes.

'You really shouldn't do that.'

'I'm thursty!'

Tony started rubbing his eyes again and told Edward to come with him. In Tony's private floor, he took a glass of orange juice and handed it to the child.

'You should stay here for a while. I've got to do several things and then I'll come back. Just stay here, watch TV or something and don't touch anything.'

'It sounds boring…', Edward answered disappointed.

Edward started to be bored after a short time. He took the zapper and turned off the television. Then he decided to go out. The boy walked around and looked to the lift. After noticing he couldn't reach the button to call up the lift, he walked around again and searched for something to stand on. Excited Edward pushed a chair from Tony's own living-room to the elevator. He pushed the button and climbed down the chair. When the door opened, he pushed the chair inside of the elevator carefully. After checking up the storey list, he pushed the button to get down to the shop. Edward climbed down from the chair again and waited wriggly for the door to get open.

Later while Tony and Bruce were sitting at the bar to relax after working, the alert suddenly shrilled.

'Sir, someone who isn't authorized got inside the shop and the laboratory', JARVIS told them, 'There's something that got on fire.'

Tony and Banner stared at each other. Then they jumped up and ran to the elevator.

'Come on, come on!', Tony shouted and pushed both buttons hectically, 'Takes too much time.'

Banner watched Tony running to the stairs. Stark ran down the stairs, meanwhile Bruce kept on waiting for the elevator. Coming to the shop, Tony could see the opened door. He went in and caught sight of Edward standing in front of a burning machine. His hair and face was full of ashes and he cried.

'What the hell…What did you…Why….Didn't I told you not to take my stuff!?', Tony screamed.

Edward looked at him and started crying even harder. Tony walked to the machine and called Dummy.

'Look at that! Why have you done that? And WHAT the fuck did you do!? Now all my work is for nothing!'

'I….didn't mean…to…', Edward sobbed.

'You didn't mean to…', Tony tear his hair, while Dummy tried to extinguish the machine.

Banner entered the shop and looked at the angry Tony. Then he saw Edward standing there crying. Bruce went to him and lift him up in his arms. Edward pressed his little body against Bruce and buried his face in Banner's shirt. Carefully He walked over to the washbasin and cleaned Edward's face.

'Are you hurt?'

Edward shook his head slowly.

'Thank god! Imagine he…', Tony stopped talking after turning around and looking at his son who still cried.

He went to them and got a little bit smaller.

'You know what, Edward?'

Edward shook his head again and pressed himself again against Banner.

'We'll clean up down here and afterwards…I could show you how to work in here without destroying anything, alright?'

Edward brushed away his tears and nodded.

'But I'm begging you…Don't touch anything without my permission.'

The boy was ashamed and looked down to the bottom.

'Hey', Tony went on, 'Everything's okay. Don't worry, it's not so hard to repair the machine, I guess.'

'Maybe you should think about that before you scream at him unnecessarily', Bruce commented while washing away the rest of the dirt in Edward's face.

Wordless Stark went to the stairs again.

'Is he angry now…?', Edward whispered.

Bruce turned Edward to himself, looked in his eyes and told him not to worry. Tony would be forgiving and it wouldn't be a big deal to repair the machine.

'The main point is that you haven't hurt yourself.'

After that he set Edward down and went to the lift with him.

'Cap, I need you. I need your strength to move a machine down in the laboratory', Tony said when Bruce walked in hand in hand with Edward.

'Give me a few minutes', Steve responded.

'No, just let's do it now, other wise I could forget again.'

'I want to help you…', Edward said and went to Tony.

'Just get out of my way by now, buddy.'

'But I want to!'

He ran after Tony and tried to get before him.

'Give me a few minutes, Eddie', Tony said and passed by again.

'Please, I'd like to help you!'

'Get out of my way now!'

Bruce bit on his lower lip and watched them. Edward jumped out of Tony's way and hid behind Bruce's leg.

'Chill out', Steve said while following him.

'Don't tell me what to do…'

'I should help you, right? Then stop being cheeky.'

Both went down. Banner lift up Edward on his arms again. Edward rubbed his head against Banner's arm and closed his eyes, because they were hurting. His crying before might have been the reason for this. It lasted a few moments until Edward came along with Bruce again. Tony and Steve already pushed forward the machine. Steve passed by and left the shop. Tony looked over to Edward and Bruce.

'Come here, Edward', he said.

Edward sneaked forward to him. Tony uplifted the boy and showed him the cables behind the machine which were burnt to a cinder.

'You see that? You turned on all buttons. Wasn't quite good, because the cables just sustain limited energy flow. If you turn on all, the needed engery destroys the cables. That's what happened earlier.'

Edward nodded.

'Well by now we can't use it. I've got to repair it first. But I've got another idea what we could do. Did you ever try to create a circuitry?'

'What's a circuitry?', Edward asked while he was staring at the burnt cables.

'I'll show you, come on.'

Tony walked over to his desk where he already had placed some utensils they would need. He set down Edward on his lap after he sat down. Banner went to his table and observed them. Tony started explaining what a circuitry was for and how it roughly worked. Edward paid attention and listened to Stark.

'Any question so far?', Tony asked and looked at Edward.

'Can we start to build it?'

Banner grinned and faced away. While he was calculating, Edward passed him several times to bring Tony the tools he was asking for.

'No, Eddie. That's a wrench. I wanted a screwdriver.'

Edward passed Banner again and ran back.

'No. These are pliers.'

Banner saw Edward pass again and started to laugh. Edward returned.

'Not quite. These are socket spanner. Look: It nearly looks like the sockets, but it's alrea -'

Dummy turned the corner and brought the screwdriver.

'Well thank you, Dummy, but actually Edward should bring it to me.'

Edward lowered his head.

Tony smiled, dishevelled Edward's hair and said:

'No problem. At least you can see it now', Tony set Edward on his lap again, 'So, that's a screwdriver, alright?'

Edward took it and repeated: 'Screwdriver.'

Then he handed it to Tony again. Bruce left his workplace smiling and silently. After considerable time Edward's concentration waned.

'I'm hungry', he told Tony and dropped the screwdriver. Tony released his little hand, which he hold to help the boy with constructing.

'Well then go up and ask for something.'

'Don't you come with me?'

'Not hungry', Tony spoke apathetically.

Edward slid from Tony's lap and slouched his shoulders. Stark gazed after Edward and sighed.

'Wait for me, I'll come with you.'

Abrupt Edward turned around and stared at Tony with an admiring expression.

'Do you have an appetite or are you really hungry?', Tony asked when they stood in the lift.

'What's the difference?', Edward responded and tried to copy Tony's posture.

Stark rubbed his eyes.

'Why do you do that all the time?'

Tony looked at the child and kept silence.

After arriving upstairs, he answered: 'I'm stressed.'

'I am sorry…', Edward said and left the lift.

Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind and lifted him up. Tony sat Edward on his shoulders and ran inside the kitchen. At first Edward was shocked, then he laughed loudly. While Tony watched Edward eating a slice, the telephone rang.

'Sir, there's an incoming call from Miss Potts', JARVIS told them.

Tony and Edward looked at each other. Then Tony strolled to the telephone.

'Hey, Pepp.'

'I'd like to talk to my son', she just replied.

'Can't you say HI to me or -'

'I'd like to talk to my son now.'

Tony sighed and walked over to Edward.

'Your mother wants to talk to you.'

The boy lay aside his food and took the telephone in his greasy hands. While chewing he said:

'Hello?'

Stark backed against the wall and watched him talking to Pepper.

'Oh HELL YEA!', Edward suddenly screamed, ' Yes. Okay. I love you, too, mummy.'

With these words he handed the telephone to Tony.

'Thank you for looking after him this night, Tony. I'll call you again tomorrow. Then I'll tell you when to bring him back. Bye bye.'

'What are you talki -'

Tony couldn't finish his sentence. The liaison was disconnected before.

Later when Edward became tired, he ran to his bag placed on Tony's stuff in his bedroom and took out a toothbrush. He wobbled to Tony and looked at him. Tony started scrutinized the boy and what he held in his hands. Tony smiled dejected. Then he gave Edward the sign to follow him to the bathroom. Edward followed him wobbling. Standing before the washbasin, Tony picked the child up and helped him brushing his teeth. When Tony set him down again so he could change his clothes, the man tried to get Pepper to the telephone again.

'What's wrong? Did anything happen?' Pepper sounded terrified.

'Calm down, everything's alright', Tony answered, 'I'd just like to ask you something.'

'Go on…'

While watching Edward changing his clothes clumsily, Tony went on:

'Did you plan to let him stay here or has it another reason he's prepared for this so well?'

'Listen, Tony…'

'Oh, I'm listening. Go on. Tell me the reason.'

'Harold and I we need time for each other and it's really hard spending time for each other, when you're having a quick, powerful,…-'

Tony deepened his voice and interrupted her:

'So you're using me to get rid of your own son? That's just disgusting.'

'No, Tony, you're missunder -'

'Shut the fuck up. I'll wait for your message to bring him back.'

Stark threw away the phone and rubbed his eyes.

The boy came to him and looked up. Tony scrutinized him again and told him the top of his pyjama was the false way round. After that he got on his knees and dressed Edward right.

'Is everything okay, Tony?', he asked while Stark was tugged his top and stood up again.

'Yea. Of course. Come on…'

Tony moved over the his bedroom again and waited for Edward. Before going to the bed, Edward drew out a book out of his bag. Then he climbed up and sat down on it.

'Would you read that?'

He handed the book to Tony, who read the title on the front: The Snail and the Whale.

'What is it about?', the man asked.

'It's about a snail and a whale.'

Tony laughed:

'Oh, really?'

'Yes. They're really different from each other, but they start on a journey together and both of them have to show what the actually can do working together', Edward explained.

'Wow. Sounds good', Stark answered thoughtfully.

Tony started reading when Edward cuddled up in the blanket.

'Why are you reading so evenly? That's boring, Tony. Mummy does it with a high-pitched voice for the snail and a really deep voice for the whale. That would be better!', Edward claimed.

'Oh, well…', Tony cleared his throat and tried to do it how Edward told him.

The boy seemed quite amused. Although Tony didn't like people to laugh about him, he felt good hearing Edward laugh about him. Banner was standing behind the door which was ajar. Listening to Tony and Edward he decided to leave again silently. Bruce bit on his fist to stifle a laugh and went out. After a while Edward's lids seemed to get heavy.

'Time to sleep now, huh?', Tony asked and closed the book.

He stood up and turned off the lights. Then Tony stood up and walked to the door.

'Tony?', Edward asked feebly.

Stark turned around again.

'I can't sleep without my night light…I forgot it…'

'You mean these plug-in nightlights?'

'Yea….I forgot it….'

Tony looked around. He became clueless. Slowly he looked down to the arc reactor inside of his chest.

'Oh please no….That's not….', he stumbled and looked up to the ceiling, 'You're not serious, are you?'

Edward was confused. Was Tony talking to him?

'Don't you believe me I can't sleep without?', he asked carefully.

'Huh? No, it's alright', Tony sat next to him on the bed and took off his shirt, 'Better now, isn't it?'

Edward nodded, snuggled up to Tony's torso and closed his eyes. A few hours later Banner came in again to asked Tony the question he wanted to ask before. He found both, Tony and Edward, sleeping in Tony's bed.

'Oh, dear…', he whispered and went out a second time. A moment after Tony woke up and climbed out of the bed without awaking the child.

'I need a drink…', he said to himself and went to the party deck of the Stark Tower.

When he took a drink from the bar, he suddenly heard Clint say:

'Who are you?', he pitched his voice high, 'The snail', and deepened it again, 'Or the whale?'

Stark hanged his head and turned around slowly. He looked at Clint, Banner, Natasha and Thor. Beside them Bruce bit in his fist to choke laughter once more.

'Neither. My different part decided to get away from me and left me alone on my journey', Tony responded breezy and sat down. Then he took a great hit from the glass. Thor took a seat next to him and said:

'Come on, metal man. Don't be pissed off. The bird didn't mean it nasty.'

'I didn't mean to hurt you, Stark. I apologize', Clint added.

Wordless Tony walked to the couch and fell down on it. Thor and Natasha kept watching him, then they looked over to Clint.

'Leave me alone, please…'

'Stark, I- ', Clint started when suddenly Natasha grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room. Thor followed them. Just Banner walked to Tony and sat down.

'I said leave me alone…PLEASE,'

'You once told me you'd never leave me alone again. So do I', Banner replied and stared at the wall.

He could feel a short glance on his eyes, until Tony turned his head away again. Out from the corner of his eye he saw Stark's eyes filling up with tears. After taking a bottle of Scotch and another glass, Banner sat down next to Tony again and filled the second glass with the Scotch.

'I'm not going to support your addiction, but I guess you can need your old friend right now. And I will stay here, so you won't be harmed by anything.'

'We did you tell them?', Tony brought out with a groaning voice.

'Come on, Tony. I mean it's a really sweet story. Just imagine it: You're telling your -'

'Stop it.'

The doctor hiked his shoulders and nipped.

'I destroyed everything, Bruce, I…', Tony stopped for a while to hamper that he started to cry, 'I…I even can't remember when I was laughing out of my heart, you know? With real emotions and stuff…She took away everything, when she left…I can't…I'm not moving anymore…Every thoughts I have they…I don't know, I even can't explain to you. All these thoughts inside of my head, they're - '

'I could tell when I saw you laughing out of your heart with real feelings the last time. May I tell you?'

Tony shrugged his shoulders.

'Well, there we've got last week, when you came back from visiting Pepper, respectively your son. I remember you laughing, when he called Thor 'Thunderman'. I remember you laughing when he tried to help you building a circuitry…I guess there more examples, but I wasn't there all the time.'

Bruce nipped again.

'You're making yourself addicted to Pepper. I don't know what it is about her, but for some reason you think, you can't go on without her. And that since about five years now. You already should have noticed you don't need her to be happy. I mean…What a woman is she, if she needs someone called 'Happy' to be happy?'

At least Tony laughed about Bruce's comment a bit.

'She's a great one…', Tony suddenly said.

'I know…', Bruce added and filled Tony's and his own glass with Scotch again, 'I miss watching you having a party. You need more fun, buddy.'

Tony raised his head.

'You know what? You're right', Tony stood up, 'We're going to have a party tomorrow evening.

Stark drink off and left the room.

'Actually that isn't what I…Well okay. I'm fine with that. Really fine. Good job, Banner.'

Tony slid into his bed and looked at Edward. For a while he spent time on watching, until he finally turned to the side and tried to fall asleep.

The next day Tony wake up, because his body was moving without doing anything. As he opened his eyes he saw Edward jumping on the mattress.

'Stand up, Tony! I'm hungry and I'm thursty!'

'Go to the others and ask them to give you someth -'

'And I have to pee!'

WHAM-BAM Tony sat in his bed as straight as a poker. While taking Edward to the bathroom Tony wondered why JARVIS didn't tell him to stand up. Until he took a look at the watch:

'You woke me up at 5 o'clock in the morning to tell me you have to…Jesus Christ.'

'No, I didn't tell you I have to christ, I told you I - '

'Yea, yea. It's okay. Do your stuff and…Well', with these words Tony left the bathroom.

Stark fell down on his bed and sighed while closing his eyes slowly. Edward came back, climbed up the bed and lay onto Tony's back. Tony could feel the little head pressed between his scapulas.

'JARVIS, I want you to send out several invitations to a house party at the Stark Tower.

JARVIS did, what Tony told it. The whole day while sitting in the living room with his son, Tony waited for Pepper's to bring him back. Edward could feel Tony was nervous.

'Don't you want to play anything with me, Tony?'

Tony took a hit of his glass and kept silent.

'Tony?', Edward asked unsettled.

'What is it?', Stark replied.

'Nothing…'

Tony rubbed his eyes and drank up.

'You seem to be in bad mood, Stark', Natasha spoke and sat down on the bottom next to Edward, 'What would you like to play?'

Edward smiled and gave her a toy car.

'I'm not in a bad mood', Tony responded, 'I'm just waiting.'

'Why don't you call her?', the woman asked, while doing a toy car race with the little boy, 'And why are you drinking again? Your guest is still here and you - '

'Why don't you shut up? Best time for you to open your mouth is, before you're going to blow barton's dick.'

Natasha turned her head and stared at him.

'What did you just say?'

Tony stood up, took his glass and moved to the minibar. Natasha went to him and lay one hand on stark's throat when he turned around.

'You're turning out to the same asshole you were before. Ever thought about the reason why his mother left you? Might be one.'

After all Tony didn't look really impressed, so Natasha released him.

'What's wrong with you?'

Natasha sounded angry.

'Look after Edward for some minutes, please.'

She looked at him in amazement, as Tony left the room. Later on Edward walked through the crowds of people on the party deck to find Tony.

'Tony?', Edward said carefully and pushed some adults' legs to the side.

Steve raised his head and looked around, when he stood beside Thor and was talking to some men.

'Tonyyy!', Edward started shouting.

Steve looked over to Tony, who stood at the bar and emptied several shorts. Some women standing next to him laughed affected. Thor watched Steve shaking his head and going away to find Edward in that turmoil. Softly Steve pushed away some people to make his way to the child. At the same time Pepper left the elevator and searched for any well-known face. She was shocked about all the people standing around. Once she had seen Tony laughing while talking to some people, Pepper got angry. Then she walked over and asked:

'Where is Edward!?'

'Oh hey, Pepp!', Tony smiled at her, 'Wearing jeans and a simple top on a party? You used to look better.'

'Where is Edward, Tony?'

'Well…', Tony looked around for a short moment, 'I guess he's sleeping in my bed.'

'You guess?', Pepper replied and looked murkily.

'You're searching for him?', Steve interposed, when he came to them, Edward sitting on his shoulders.

Pepper took Edward down and looked at Tony again. Obviously she was disappointed. Without a word she went to the elevator. Steve nudged Tony towards her. She moved up to Tony's private rooms and took Edward's bag. She threw in his stuff and turned around. Her eyes told Tony, who was standing in the door, she was disappointed.

'No chance to call you, so I drove here to look after my son myself. And what do I see? I see you partying with strangers, drinking alcohol and not realizing Edward was searching for you.'

'Look, Pepper. I'm not in mood to ar-'

'Tony?', her voice suddenly sounded weird, 'It wasn't your fault that Hammer attacked the city…'

Stark's head started aching, so he squint his eyes shut. Pictures of destroyed houses and smoke crossed his mind. The pain became throbbing. Tony clenched his teeth and breathed deeply.

'It's not that-', he stopped again, when he opened his eyes.

Pepper and Edward were gone. Tony was confused and turned around again and again. He tried to take a look at his watch, but his sight has been weakened by the headache, so he decided to look for the others. Actually his movements were more lurching than elegant.

'Pepper?', he shouted.

The confusion got even bigger, after he saw all lights were off when he came to the party deck. Has he been standing there for hours fighting the headaches? Didn't it come to anyone's mind to check on him? Tony started knocking on Steve's door – no reaction.

'Hello? Is anybody there?', he called and stumbled along the corridor, until Thor and Barton stretched their heads out of their rooms, 'Have you seen Pepper?'

'You drank too much, my friend', Thor replied and walked over to him, 'Go to bed again.'

Tony jumped back a little and said:

'Why didn't you look for me, when I didn't come back?'

Thor noticed Stark's outrage.

'You don't look well.'

'I don't give a shit on how I-'

'Come on, Stark…Open your eyes!', Barton suddenly responded.

Tony looked at Clint's sad face and cocked his eyebrows.

'I don't know what you mean.'

Thor lay a hand on Tony's upper arm and pulled him back to his bedroom. Tony sat on his bed and looked at the god.

'Don't blame yourself for what happened. You have done, what you thought was right', Thor said and left the room again.

Early the next day Bruce found Stark at the shop again.

'What are you doing?', Banner asked.

'Working on a new suit.'

'Sounds great. Which changes?'

'Even smoother movements', Tony sighed, 'Bruce, I still don't get forward.'

'What do you mean?', the doctor responded while opening data sets he needed.

'I'm trying hard to do. I'm working all the time on…anything. But I don't get quite far. I even couldn't tell you what I'm really working on. It's so weird. Sometimes everything seems to be unreal.'

'Don't know what you're worried about. Everybody has got an off-time some day. It will be alright again, you'll see.'

Tony kept quiet.

'You should call her. She has been angry, when she left, I guess', Banner mentioned while reading something on the monitor.

Without a word, Tony went up and called Pepper. During pacing up and down, Tony bit in his finger and listened to the on-hook signal.

'First of all: I don't want -'

'Hey, Pepp.'

'-to talk to you.'

'I know. I'd just like to-'

'Have you got an idea about my-'

'-apologize.'

'-concern? Go on.'

'Well…That was it. I'm sorry.'

'Wow, that's making things easier right now. Tony, do you know how upset Harold was yesterday? You can be glad I convinced him. You can visit Edward here, if he wants it', Pepper explained.

Tony bit on his lip and thought about it for a few minutes. Then he answered:

'Sounds good. I'm simply not-'

'Stop it. You're starting again. Me, me, me, I, I, I. Still don't like it.'

'Well, changing is a hard thing, you know? At least I-'

'Me, me, I, I.'

'-can be handed things now.'

'Great change. Really great. Must have been tough', Pepper replied unfazed.

'Unfortunately it was.'

'Harold and I have to talk about some things now. See you.'

'Pepper, I still-', Tony couldn't finish his sentence.

He put down his phone and spoke to himself:

'-love you and it hurts to see, I'm the one who disappoints you the most and…And you don't give a fuck, but it's not so bad. I can deal with it…'

'Do you think that will come up with the goods now? She didn't hear you.'

Tony turned and looked at Steve.

'Destiny. Shows me it would have been a mistake to tell her, so…Why are you overhearing me every moment you're able to?'

'Oh, Tony. You're so gorgeous, I can't take my eyes off you', Steve replied and laughed.

'Don't stalk me. Makes me feel uncomfortable…'

'Don't be so sensitive. No body here is going to do any harm to you. Calm down and take your time…And then…please finally open your eyes…'

Steve went out. Tony on the other hand felt like being in a bad film. He sat down on the couch and grabbed Steve's laptop. He started thinking about building a new one. The widget Rogers bought, was very old fashioned. Nevertheless Tony turned it on and started looking up information about Justin Hammer. Several reports about his discharge were on view. Others told the readers Hammer would be the greatest weapon producer of the century after Stark gave it up to care about clean energy. Tony's head started hurting again. He remembered the moment standing in front of Hammer on open street.

'Why looking so confused, Stark? I've got really good contacts. I almost had five years to train. Wait for it: I'll have my own suit. Then I'll kick the crap out of you', he had said.

'STARK!', Steve suddenly shouted.

Tony opened his eyes and found himself in the Iron Man suit on the streets of New York City. Burning and destroyed buildings everywhere. Another Iron Man was standing in front of him, aiming for Stark's head. Then Tony felt a weird prickle on his fingertips. It got more and more intense.

'Ouch!', he screamed.

He looked at his hand and noticed he wasn't wearing the suit anymore. He found himself back in the living room. Natasha set down a can with pills in it on the table.

'You seem to have headaches. Are you okay?', she asked.

'Well, you noticed I've got pain. Consider your question', Tony answered ungratefully.

Natasha sighed and went away a little bit.

'Stay!', Tony spoke.

Natasha turned to him.

'Stay, please…', Tony whispered, then he swallowed the pills dryly.

The agent went back and sat down next to him.

'What are you looking for?', she asked while staring at the search results on the monitor.

'Nothing of importance actually. It may sound hilarious, but Pepper mentioned something…about a specific situation, but I just can remember certain parts of it…'

'The Hammer case…'

'What is it about?'

Natasha kept quiet for a while. Her eyes slowly filled with tears. Tony was shocked, when he caught sight of it. Was it his fault? What was going on? But he wasn't brave enough to ask about it.

'Why don't you just open your eyes, Stark? It would make so many things much easier…'

She stood up and left Tony wondering. He started thinking. Obviously he made a mistake, maybe more, and the others wanted him to notice it by himself. In the evening Stark walked to the other Avengers ruefully. Thor and Loki were talking about times past and their battles within. Bruce, Natasha and Clint listened carefully. Steve was playing minesweeper on his laptop. Tony tried to show courage. He took some deep breaths before he was ready to walk over. He stopped when the others looked at him.

'Hey', Bruce said and smiled.

Steve lifted his head and looked at Stark as well. Also he started smiling.

'Um…', Tony brought out.

'Sit down, my friend', Thor said, 'My brother and I were telling the others something about former times!'

Find your words. You wanted to tell them something. Come on, can't be that hard. Don't be a wimp. Just tell them. Oh god, I need a drink. No, concentrate on your intention now, Tony thought. Step-by-step the facial expressions of his fellows became puzzled. The captain put away the electric appliance and waited patiently.

'Uum…', Tony repeated, 'Natasha, I'm sorry for these inopportune remarks I made regarding you and Barton. Steve, I'm sorry for beating you-'

'Beating? I thought you were stroking my face', Steve answered and grinned.

Thor burst into laughter. Immediately Stark looked down.

'Tony', Steve added when Thor stopped laughing.

Because of Tony's kind of avoidance eye contact, he just shortly looked up to Rogers.

'It's okay', Steve went on and smiled.

'Alright…I just wanted…I just wanted you to know', Stark answered.

'Now come on', Natasha interposed, 'Sit down and listen to our gods.'

A better feeling broadened in Tony's chest and his stomach. So he decided to take a seat and looked at Thor and Loki, who instantly continued their story. Noticing the others were very joyful, made Tony laugh some of the time. The enthusiastic manner of Thor's telling the story and Loki's distant comments towards it, made them laugh out loud. All of them. Finally Stark's heart didn't feel so heavy anymore. Later on Tony dumped down on his bed, crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling, recalling the evening's events. Stark smiled to himself and closed his eyes.

It last a few days, until Pepper called him.

'Bruce, could you answer it, please? Got oily hands.', Tony said and looked for a cloth.

'Good morning, Miss Potts', Bruce called.

Tony turned his head to him quickly and ran over. He grabbed the phone.

'Hey, what's up?'

'What's up with you?', Pepper answered laughing.

'Why? What do you-'

'You're sounding happy.'

'Accidents happen', Bruce mentioned.

Pepper laughed again, while Tony darted a glance at the doctor, who wrote his notes innocently.

'So, what's up?'

'Would you come over today? Babysitting or what ever you want to call it…'

'I would call it meeting friends.'

'Would you?'

Tony noticed, she was nervous, because she wasn't able to get her teeth apart while talking.

'Of course, sweety.'

Banner watched Tony's posture becoming proud.

'Got to go. Will have a shower and then-', Stark started.

'Sweety', Bruce interrupted and grinned, 'Yea, just go. And don't stumble over your wall of pride.'

Stark fixed his hairstyle, before he exited the car and put on his sunglasses. He rang the bell and waited.

Pepper opened the door thankfully.

'Hello, my dear', Tony said and smiled.

'Tonyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy', Edward screamed and ran to him.

Immediately Tony lifted up the child and started cuddling it. Edward pressed himself against Stark and closed his eyes. A few moments after Tony set him down again and looked over to Pepper and Harold. He seemed to be angry.

'Gidday, Mister Hogan', Tony provoking called.

Happy shook his head and went into his office.

'Could I talk to you, Pepper?'

'Just forget it, Tony. It's okay', she replied.

'One minute. Pepp, please…', Tony begged.

Pepper rolled her eyes, went into the kitchen and sat down. Tony followed her and opened the fridge.

'What are you looking for?', she asked irritated.

'Don't worry, I won't destroy anything or-'

'No, put it back,' Pepper shouted, when she saw him taking out a bottle of orange juice.

Tony raised his hands without dropping the bottle. Sighing Pepper turned her head to the window.

'Take a seat. Yes, thank you, Pepper.'

Tony sat down so they were face-to-face.

'What's wrong here? You could cut the atmosphere as thick as it is.'

'Forget it, I won't talk to you about-'

'Why are you worried?'

'-my issues with-'

'Let me help you.'

Pepper stopped and looked at him. Tony emptied the bottle, put it down and lay his hand on hers.

'Let me help you, Pepp', he repeated and smiled, 'I don't want you to be sad. Please just let me help you. Tell me.'

His opponent pulled away her hand and crossed her arms over her chest. He leaned back and looked away. After a while Pepper stroked her upper arm and started speaking:

'We're just very stressed. He has to work so hard and I have to care about the boy and…Don't know…'

'Do you need any mon-'

'Stop it.'

'Pepper, I mean it. I could help you out.'

'Tony, stop it.'

'No. Pepper, I've got tons of billions. Why shouldn't I-'  
'ANTHONY!'

Stark was visibly shocked and stopped talking.

'Donate it to an organization that's caring about street children or…I don't know.'

'But still the question: Is it the problem?'

'Financial problems, yes. I can't go helping him work for-'

'Give the boy to me over the day, then you can go.'

'What?'

'I could take care of him while you're working. How about that?'

'No, Tony. You're working as well and-'

'I don't need to. We could do it that way, until we've got a better solution.'

'No. I don't think it's a good-'

'Come on, Pepper. Actually it's my child, why don't you take from me, what you need? I'd like to help you. Please let me do this.'

'I'll think about it…Don't expect anything about it', she said to get away from that conversation.

'We're friends,' Tony stood up and went to the door, 'Remember that.'

With these words Tony walked to Edward in the living room. Pepper smiled after he had been out of the kitchen. When Happy came in, he saw Tony playing with Edward. The man of the house sat down on the couch.

'So how is it to be around Tony Stark, Eddie?'

Edward looked up, whereas Tony looked down.

'It was really cool. We built things. Tony allowed me to help him.'

'Indeed?'

Hogan sounded startled.

'Yea, it has been exiting!', Edward shouted and stood up, when Pepper walked in.

'Actually it wasn't me', Tony told them, 'Edward built it himself. I just told him…I just told him, what he needed. So…Not my merit.'

'But I haven't seen Iron Man, yet…', Edward said and lowered his head.

'All in its proper time, Edward. Wait for it', Tony replied and smiled.

'Tony, you know what?', Edward suddenly said.

'No, what is it?'

'I'll be five years old in three days! I wish to see Iron Man then!'

Helpless Tony looked to Pepper.

'And if it's not the said time?', Pepper helped out.

'Then I will be sad he didn't came…'

Tony scratched the back of his head.

'And I want to have a great party!', Edward then told and looked at Tony, 'Like you did recently!'

'Oh, well…We could do a little party in-', Hogan started.

'Would you like to party with the Avengers?', Tony then asked.

Edward's eyes started shining.

'YEA!'

'Well…You should ask your mom and if she gives her consent, I could look how to manage that.'

Immediately Edward turned to his mother. Pepper swung her torso forwards and backwards. Then she answered:

'I don't see any trouble with it.'

'Good, I'll see what to do then.'

Edward hopped up and down after he heard that. He couldn't wait to spent his birthday with his heroes.

'BUT!', Tony shouted, Edward stopped, then Tony leaned to the boy and whispered: 'You should invite your parents, too. Or at least ask them, if they're willing to come.'

'YES! Mom, dad, would you come to my birthday-party in the tower?'

Tony twitched his head and asked: 'Who said it would be in-'

'Yes, of course, honey…', Pepper said loudly.

Edward nodded and looked at Tony again.

'Done', he said proudly.

'Fine', Stark answered still taken by surprise.

They spent some time, then Tony drove back to the tower. Instead of taking a break, Tony went into the shop, where he pushed Bruce's notes from the lab-desk with his arm and sat on the chair. After that he took some books of chemical reactions and made his own notes. Bruce came back from washing his hands and looked at his things lying on the bottom.

'What are-'

'Psst!'

'Tony, I mean it. What the fu-'

'Don't get angry, boy. I'm working.'

Banner slouched his shoulders and collected his documents.

'JARVIS, tell me something about our explosive materials. And the copper salts and…these things.'

Banner shook his head and left the lab. JARVIS started talking.

'You know what? Too much information, give me a list on my screen', Tony mentioned while leafing through the book.

Several minutes later Tony walked over to the shop, where the Iron Man armory has been placed.

'Mark VII or a kind of War machine, JARVIS? Where have we got the most space without munitions?'

'Well, sir, that would be War machine. But Mark VII looks more impressive.'

Tony clicked his tongue and added:

'We'll take Mark VII then. Being impressive, is more like me.'

The whole night Tony spent on working. Every once in a while Bruce came down to look after him and left again, when he found Tony still working. The next day Tony slept on the chair, until JARVIS made a comment:

'Sir, Steve Rogers would like to talk to you.'

'Activate the intercom…', Stark grumbled tired.

'Hello? Tony? Can I talk to you now? Stark?'

'Still he doesn't get along…Good morning, Cap. What is it?'

'What are you doing down there? You didn't sleep and-'

'Actually I did. Although I don't need to. What is it?'

'No, it's…Nothing. Just wanted to hear your voice and check up you're-'

'Wanted to hear my voice? Getting emotional now?'

'Don't make jokes abou-'

'I'm going to come up in a few…hours maybe. JARVIS, turn it off again, please.'

Later Bruce came I again. He leaned on the desk and looked at the powder mixture in front of Stark.

'May I ask what you're doing now?'

'Preparing something.'

'Preparing what?'

'Would you do me a favor, doctor?'

'Why don't you react to my-'

'Would you?'

'Yes…', Bruce sighed.

'Could you go, um…', Tony rubbed his eyes, 'Buy several things with one of the others? I need paper streamer in green, blue, red, white and gold. And balloons in the same colours, please. Bring along some finger food…Don't know exactly what. Look for some.'

'What is your-'

'Thank yoooou.'

Bruce shook his head again and went up. Tony grinned covertly. After that he attended to the Mark VII again. The others didn't come to see Tony the whole day again. When the day finally had come, Tony went up and observed Natasha and Clint while they were hanging up the paper streamers. Thor, Steve and Loki started a competition about blowing up the balloons. Stark inspected the party deck. Yet he didn't seem to be like it.

'You worked on a big surprise for him, huh?', Steve asked when he came to him.

'Something like that, yea. Hoping he'll enjoy.'

'You're his hero, without knowing who you really are…He will do.'

Tony smiled and went on with his plan.

'Shouldn't you and Thor blow up the balloons, captain?', Bruce asked after he finished setting the table.

'Well, Loki thought he would do best in our 'competition', so we decided to grant him his victory.'

Bruce laughed when he saw Loki tumbling through the room after he had become dizzy by blowing the whole balloons. At a later time Pepper and Harold exited the elevator with Edward. Bruce pushed Tony with his elbow. Stark mustered his friends and began to sing a birthday song for the boy. Edward started laughing. His eyes shined. After they sang and congratulated him for his birthday, Edward glanced around: All paper streamers and balloons were color-coordinated to his heroes' suits.

'Wow. That's so cool!', he shouted and went to the couch.

He climbed up and sat down. Thor put down a heavy packaged box next to him.

'What is it?', Edward shouted exited.

'Open it', Thor replied.

The rest of the adults gathered around him and watched him ripping the gift wrap. Inside there was a trunk. Edward slowly opened it and looked at the tools lying in it. His expression was amazed, when he looked at Tony. Tony smiled and said: 'So finally you needn't borrow any tools from me.'

'It's a present from Natasha, Clint and me', Thor said.

'Yea, Natasha made the notes with the tool names, I bought it and Thor…well, he packed it', Clint mentioned.

'Thank you!'

Pepper leaned against Hogan. Both of them smiled at the child. Bruce sat down next to Edward and handed him a little present. Immediately Edward ripped the gift wrap and looked at a small glass ball.

'What is it for?', Edward said confused and turned it.

'Shake it', Banner told him.

So Edward started to shake it. Suddenly the glass ball began to glow.

'Wow!'

'No electricity costs for your night light anymore. If you need one, just shake the marble and the chemical substances in it will give you light through the night', Bruce explained.

'Thank you', Edward responded and squeezed the doctor.

Loki protruded his chest and asked:

'What do you say about the balloons?'

Edward laughed.

'They're amazing!'

'Well, that's my…present', Loki added and turned away.

'Easy solution, brother', Thor laughed.

Expectantly Edward looked at Tony and waited. When Tony noticed, suddenly the bell rang. They looked to the elevator and saw Agent Hill coming out.

'Why do I have a safety system, when everybody preempts it?', Tony asked and went to her.

'Mister Stark, I heard you're doing a good job with babysitting', she said.

'Who told you so?'

'Fury. Could you please take care of my niece today?'

A little blond girl was standing next to her, looking to the bottom.

'Oh hell no. What are you-', Tony stopped after Edward ran over.

'Who is that, Tony?'

'Well…That's…That's Agent Hill, an old friend and this…is her niece…'

Agent Hill smiled and congratulated Edward.

'Thank you', Edward responded and looked at Tony again, 'Did she come because of my birthday?'

'Um…Do you want her to stay for it?'

Edward looked down and thought about it.

'Yes', he said after thinking.

'Well then…Yes, she did.'

'AWESOME!'

Tony let the girl in and dismissed Agent Hill. Natasha walked over to her and introduced the people on the party deck to make her feel more comfortable.

'By the way, Edward…Why didn't you bring along your friends?', Tony asked.

Edward lowered his head and answered: 'They don't like me. They say I'm stupid…'

'Wow!', Tony sounded indignant and couched down, 'You know what? You're not stupid. You're just too smart for them to understand what you're talking. You have to go to their level, without missing to show them you're predominant.'

'How?', Edward replied sadly.

'Just talk to Steve. You can practice it with him', Tony laughed.

'I don't understand…'

'Me neither!', Steve mentioned.

The others laughed out loud. After getting to know Agent Hill's niece Carol a little bit, Edward started to be bored. Steve suggested to play charade.

'Oh, yes!', Edward shouted, 'I'll write down the terms!'

They sat down on the carpet to get more space.

'Steve, you're first, because it was your suggestion!'

'He's spending too much time with you. He starts to talk like you already', Harold said to Stark.

'Okay', Steve responded and stood up. He took the note from Edward and looked at it.

Steve was clueless how to show. He pointed at Tony.

'Nag', Loki immediately said.

Steve fell on his knees and started laughing.

'What is it?', Tony asked and looked around confused.

'IT WAS RIGHT!'

'WHAT!?', Loki shouted.

'Your turn, Loki!', Edward called.

'No way…', Loki replied, while Steve couldn't take a breath because of laughing.

Stark looked at Steve fishy. Thor also started laughing. After a while of playing, Edward plodded to Tony. He could see the boy seemed to be disappointed.

'What is it?', Tony asked and poured Scotch into his glass.

'Is the party your present for me?'

Edward painted circles in the air with the top of his shoe.

'Why so impatient?', Tony laughed.

He squatted down again and whispered: 'Do you like her?', after he noticed Edward observed Carol the whole evening.

'She's pretty.'

'Yea, she is. Would you like to dance with her?'

'I can't!', Edward screamed in disgust.

'Let that be my concern', Tony answered and stood up.

Then he scrutinized Natasha's and Pepper's shoes.

'Heeled. Well…Bruce?'

Banner lifted his head to see Tony.

'Would you do me a favor again?'

'Sure, what is it?'

Stark didn't answer. He whispered something to Edward instead. Edward nodded and went to Carol.

'Would you like to dance?'

'I can't…', she shyly responded.

'That's no problem! Place your feet on Dr. Banners shoes! Come on!'

Bruce looked over to Tony again and lay his head skew. Tony shrugged his shoulders and waited for them to come over.

'JARVIS, give us some good sound.'

'Are you serious, Tony?', Bruce asked when the music started.

'Come on, don't be a poor sport!'

Pepper bit on her lip when she watched the events with tension. Carol mounted Bruce shoes. Bruce dragged himself to Tony and Edward. Edward mounted Tony's shoes. Then Tony grabbed Bruce's hands and started dancing with him so that Edward and Carol had enough space for their own. The children adhered to the adults legs and looked each other in the eye. A few minutes later, Edward decided to show the girl his presents. Bruce and Tony watched them.

'Time to give him yours as well, huh?', Banner then said.

Tony took a look outside. It had been dark outside already.

'I'm sure he forgot it', Hogan interposed.

'Are you kidding?'

'Certainly you don't even know how old he is now!', Happy started arguing.

Tony tried to remember, what Edward told him. Defenseless Tony looked at Pepper, who sat behind Happy and read the word 'insurance policy number' from her lips. Tony's head started working hardly. A hard jerk went through Tony's body and he screamed:

'FIVE!'

Harold kept quiet.

'You see? Edward?', Tony called.

'I'm here!'

'Wanna have your last present?'

Edward jumped up and ran to him, Tony grinned. Everyone followed Stark to the balcony.

'Stay here, I'll bring it out', Tony said and disappeared inside.

Harold lifted Edward up and looked around. Thor and Steve leaned against the railing and waited. It took a few minutes until they heard the noises of a flying machine. Edward strained his ears exited. Pepper and her domestic partner still looked around. The Avengers started smiling, when Edward pointed in the sky and screamed:

'LOOK!'

The parents spotted Iron Man up in the air. He flew several circles. Edward opened his mouth because of his excitement. Hogan felt goose pimples over the boy's arm. Subsequently Pepper lay her hands over her mouth, her eyes filled with tears. Suddenly Iron Man shot something out of his weapons. The fireworks exploded some meters away from him. Edward couldn't hold it and started exclaiming. He sighted the in his eyes probably most beautiful firework he ever saw. The red, green, yellow, white and blue sparks came down a bit, before they went out. Iron man flew in rolls through the sparks. After finishing his work, Iron Man landed next to them on a platform. Edward began to flounder, so Hogan set him down. Immediately the boy ran to Iron Man, who backed one knee on the bottom. He raised his fist and held it out towards Edward. Softly Edward hit against it. His facial expression still showed his excitement. Then Iron Man stood up again.

'Step back, Edward.'

Edward felt his hackles raising: HIS favorite superhero knows his name!

The boy did, what Iron Man told him and stepped back. Then he watched him flying away again.

'HOW COOL WAS THAT!?', Edward turned to the others, 'HE TALKED TO ME! Mum, did you see that!?', he ran over to her, 'Mum?'

Pepper whisked off her tears on her sleeves.

'Yea, I saw it', she answered and smiled at him.

'That's the best day of my life!'

Tony sprinted up to them. He was out of breath when he reached the group.

'Tony, you missed out on the firework Iron Man made for me!', the child shouted.

'Oh…', Tony took a deep breath, 'I saw it. Don't worry. I guess everyone in New York saw it.'

'You think so!?', Edward asked eagerly.

Tony nodded and grinned.

'Did you just see that?', Edward asked Carol and went in with her.

The adults followed slowly. Tony leaned against the railing and took more deep breaths.

'You're insane…', Pepper said.

Stark looked at her. Her eyes were still reddish a bit.

'I'm doing my best.'

Pepper made some steps towards him and grabbed his suit coat. She gave him a caressing kiss on his cheek and went in. During the adults conversations, Edward fell asleep. Harold took him up carefully and said goodbye to the others with Pepper. Tony went towards him and stopped in front of him.

'You're a good father, I think…', he started.

Harold scrutinized Stark confused.

'I mean for an ordinary situation with going to work and stuff…I'm sure you're doing a good job. I don't want to do you any harm…or take Pepper away from you. I'm happy, if she's happy, so…Hogan, we used to be friends…I don't want it to end, just because you're mad at me for some reason I don't understand…'

'I'm not…I'm jealous. That's all. Let's talk about that another time.'

Although Tony didn't understand and would have liked to know it immediately, he just nodded and conducted them out of the tower. Coming up again, Clint and Natasha passed him. Clint was holding the sleeping Carol in his arms.

'Good night…', Stark said and went to the couch. He dropped himself on it and emptied his drink.

'Still not back?', Loki asked.

'Huh?'

'You mortals…'

Distracted Tony looked at Thor's brother and waited for an explanation, but Loki stood up and left the room. Tony lay his legs onto the couch and closed his eyes. Then he started dreaming without being asleep actually. He started to see Bruce hugging Betty. Steve was dancing with Peggy Carter, Thor talked to Jane sweetly. Steve turned his head to Tony and shouted:

'STOP IT!'

Tony opened his eyes quickly. Again he stood in this destroyed part of the city, the other Iron Man in front of him, aiming at his head. What the fuck is going on here, Tony thought and tried to fly away. But he couldn't move. Helpless without a movement, Tony watched the other Iron Man collecting energy for his next attack. In the background of the explosion sounds, Stark heard the Hulk roaring. There were some creepy things climbing up his body suddenly. Then he heard the noise of small drilling machines. These little shadows were unscrewing Tony's suit!

'Get away from me, you bastards!', Tony shouted.

He was able to move again and shot them. After relieving himself, Tony flew up several meters. The Iron Man beneath him shot at him out of the repulsor on his hand. Tony equivocated on the coming energy and flew higher. His enemy followed him. Before finding out what was going on, Stark wasn't determined to attack his haunter. Both rushed around some highrises.

'HULK, THOR! Get them down!', Steve screamed while protecting civilians from the falling rubble.

Tony heard Steve's command, but he couldn't find them. Either the Hulk or Thor. His negligence came along just at the right moment for Stark's enemy. He flew over to him with a high speed and slapped him down onto the roof of a highrise. Afterwards Tony found himself lying in some rubble. The other Iron Man landed next to him and pulled up the mask of his helmet. Hammer grinned, when Tony just stared at him.

'No way…Where did you get-', Tony began to say.

'Good one you've built for me there, Stark. Even better than yours, isn't it?'

Justin took away Tony's helmet, while he wasn't able to move. Then he lifted him over his own head and threw him down. Stark felt a harrowing pain going through his body. As he looked to the side while lying on the street, Stark recognized a blond woman holding a dead child in her arms. She wept bitterly. The child's head was bleeding. The clothes were torn and burned on the right side. Stark totally flipped out, when he saw the child's brown hair. It reminded him of his own son. Tony straightened himself and looked around. He has been back to the party deck in the Stark Tower. Abrupt Tony remembered the day, when Pepper told him she would leave.

'I'll come back tomorrow to bring up some stuff of yours…', she had been telling.

His headaches were back, so Tony stumbled to his bedroom and went off to sleep.

'I miss you…', he heard Pepper whispering in his dreams…

Early the next morning Tony went to the shop and checked up the Iron Man armory. After checking he began to modify some weapons on the Mark VI.

'JARVIS, get ready. We'll hunt an old acquaintance.'

'What is your intention, sir? Shall I inform your fellowship?'

'No! It's going to be an one-man-mission…'

When Tony was flying over the city, JARVIS collected information about Hammer's last residence. Standing in front of old warehouses, JARVIS said:

'Hammer used to do his productions in these warehouses. After the attack, he wasn't seen again.

This place seemed conversant to Stark. He opened the front doors and walked in. All over he saw mental pieces, tools and machines.

'Tell me about the attack', Tony ordered.

'I have no power to release these information to you, sir.'

'JARVIS, tell me!'

'I apologize, sir. Even if I had more information about it, something's blocking my system. It doesn't allow me to share.'

'So I'm shifted for myself again. Fine.'

Tony walked on and found a small room, secured by a security door. In the room there lay tools everywhere he used to make use of while working on his suits.

'Precision tools…welding burner…brackets for the suit parts? Give me the source.'

JARVIS showed the source information.

'Not mine, but…', Tony mentioned and picked up a metal piece, '…my stroke while making notes…'

Several formulas were written on the piece. Tony heard his heart pounding in his head. He remembered the day when he induced Edward to bring him the tools he needed.

'Why did they leave?'

'After the attack, Hammer hasn't been seen again. So his workers also left their positions.', JARVIS answered.

'Tell me more! I'm standing here in the dark and you-'

'Sir, you really should open your eyes.'

'Wha…Why…I don't get what you mean!', Tony shouted.

The pain in his head got bigger and bigger. Suddenly the system failed.

'JARVIS? Um…JARVIS? Can you hear me? Fuck it!'

The further search for information remained fruitless. After leaving the warehouses, JARVIS system rebooted. Tony flew back to the Stark Tower. Banner was reading a book sitting on the couch on the party deck.

'Did you find what you were looking for?', he asked.

Tony took a glass and a bottle of Scotch and went to the elevator.

'No', he responded before the doors closed.

Wasting his time with listening to music and drinking, Tony fell asleep later.

'Their deaths wasn't your fault, Stark…', Rogers suddenly bleated.

Tony opened his eyes, but he wasn't able to move. Steve sat next to his bed on a chair and looked at him.

'Is that a nightmare?', Tony asked lowly.

'Don't blame yourself for that…', Steve replied, stood up and left the room.

Tony closed his eyes for a second, then opened them again. Steve was gone. The sun was shining in his room. Smartly Tony jumped off his bed and ran through the Stark Tower searching Steve. After a while he ran into him and looked up.

'Don't-'

'NO, Steve! Stop it! What did you do in my room last night!?'

'What are you talking about?'

'What did you do there!?', Tony's voice became louder, 'What the fuck is going on here!?'

'Calm down…You've got some guests', Steve answered and passed Stark.

Tony gazed after him. After that he went to the living room, where Hogan was sitting with Edward on his lap.

'Good morning…', Tony whispered while walking in.

'Good morning, Stark', Hogan replied.

'Tony!', Edward shouted and slit from Hogan's lap.

'Good to see you', Tony told them and lifted Edward up, 'Would you give us a moment, sonny?'

'Yes!'

Tony set down Edward and went to Harold.

'Anything to drink?'

'I'm good, thanks', the man refused.

'What is it you wanted to tell me?'

'You seem to like him. I mean Edward. Actually I became his father, but he admires you more than anyone else.'

'I'm a Stark, what did you expect?', Tony laughed.

'Don't tease, please', Harold's face had got a serious expression, 'You've got everything. You would have enough time. Look, Tony, I have to work nearly the whole day to support Pepper and him. Then I come and I freak out just as I hear my son saying the name 'Tony'…'

'Listen, Hogan: I tried to tell Pepper she should take from me, what she needs. Give me one word and I'm going to support you in ANY way I'm able to. I'm not that bad guy that doesn't give a shit on others.'

'You wouldn't be Iron Man, if you did', Hogan laughed a little, Edward strained his ears.

'Exactly.'

'One word.'

'Yes?', Tony asked.

'No. One word', Harold repeated.

'Huh?'

'You said I should give you-'

'Aaaah', the coin dropped, 'Well, tell me if you need something. No problem.'

'For today I need you to watch over Eddie until tomorrow…', Harold said and stood up.

Tony nodded.

'And if he has got one single scratch, I'm going to kick the crap out of you', he added, went into the elevator, grinned and waved Edward goodbye.

'Tony, did Iron Man say anything more about my birthday to you?', Edward asked exited.

'Actually he said…He said you would be a great member of the Avengers when you're grown up', Tony talked his way out.

'Really?'

'Of course. Would I ever lie to you?'

'Nooo', Edward responded and smiled.

Suddenly the boy's expression became sad.

'What is it?'

'You're going to leave me one day, right?'

'What? No way!', Tony lifted him up once more, 'I'd never leave you.'

'Never ever ever ever ever ever?'

'Yes, never ever ever ever ever ever.'

Edward pressed himself against Tony and lay his little hand on the arc reactor.

'Are you Iron Man?', he whispered then.

Tony was speechless. What should he answer to this question? On one hand he told him, he would never lie. On the other hand, he thought it wouldn't be good for Edward's safety to know. What should he do? Tony looked down to Edward's hand.

'Why don't you say anything? I just ask, because…Iron Man also has got such a light on his chest…'

'That's your incentive for that question?', Tony replied laughing.

'Are you?'

The man kept quiet for a moment, before he answered:

'I am Iron Man…'

Edward lay his head on Tony's shoulder and closed his eyes.

'I always knew it…', he whispered.

'Hmm…Of course you did. I already told you, you're a smart boy…'

Causeless Edward started crying.

'What…Edward, what's wrong?', his weeping got louder, 'What is…'

Tony stopped talking when he looked around. They suddenly were standing in the small room Tony discovered in Hammer's old warehouses before. Justin stood on the other side of the room's glass panel and watched them. Behind him some men carried away another man, who was bleeding out of his head. Hammer put away his gun and went on watching them. Stark looked down and noticed the trail of blood going to the door. At its beginning there lay cerebral pieces. His stomach started turning, he tried to pull himself together.

'So go to work then', Justin said with mercilessness in his voice.

'Tony?', Stark closed his eyes, 'Tony? What's wrong?'

As he opened them again, he looked Edward in the eye.

'Are you okay?'

Tony set him down and looked around. Bruce and Thor were standing in front of him. They stared into Stark's eyes.

'Am I sick, guys?', he then asked.

Bruce and Thor just turned and left the room.

'No, don't go!'

'Tony, let's play something. I'm bored', Edward told him scowling.

But Stark began to feel sick of never getting an answer to his questions.

'Let me…Let me sit down for relaxing a few minutes, please…'

Then he walked to the couch and lay down. He didn't know how much time he spent on this position, but after a while he heard weird noises. As he opened his eyes, he saw Edward sitting on Dummy, which was moving through the room.

'WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!', Edward shouted joyfully.

Tony sat up and screamed: 'DUMMY, STOP!'

Immediately Dummy decelerated hardly, Edward fell down because of the hitch.

'Ouch…', he added after falling.

Tony jumped up and ran to him.

'Are you okay!?'

'My knee hurts now…Why did you stop it? It was funny!', Edward exclaimed.

Tony pulled his own hair. He picked up Edward and ran over to the bar. After that he set him down on the bar, took a wet cloth and pulled up one trouser leg. Shocked Tony stared at the wound over Edward's knee.

'Oh please no…No, please…No!'

'It doesn't hurt so much, why are you freaking out…?', Edward asked carefully.

'Happy is going to kill me!'

'I'm sorry, Tony…', Edward mentioned, when his hero cleaned the wound.

Tony became even more nervous, watching how Edward limped through the tower while playing. His worries about Harold's reaction were even worse the next day: Edward still limped a little bit.

'He's going to kill me…He's simply going to kill me…And I can't even be mad about it…', he talked to himself the whole time.

'Oh, come on Tony. I checked up the joint twice. Everything's fine. There only scratched left on his skin that are still hurting. Calm down, man…', Bruce explained.

'He will simply kill me…', Tony repeated once more.

Then Hogan walked in. Edward was limping towards him, while Tony cowered. Hogan scrutinized his son and looked over to Tony.

'Listen, I am so sorry. I didn't want that to happen. It was just-', Stark started.

Hogan sighted the wound on Edward's knee, while Tony tried to make excuses.

'Stark, calm down. He is a little boy, they're getting scratches and wounds all the time.'

'But you said-'

'Oh, Tony! It was a freaking joke, don't blame yourself', Harold laughed.

'I can't tell you how relieved I'm feeling right now…', Stark answered and dismissed both of them.

Some days after, Bruce invited Tony to go to the city, before they had cabin fever. His friend agreed joyfully. Surprisingly Banner didn't seem to be nervous to go under these crowds of people anymore. They walked out and Tony asked where Bruce liked to go. He didn't answer. Tony turned around and looked at him. He was standing in front of him like a pillar of salt. Stark started nudging Banner's forehead several times. Suddenly there was a huge tremor. Tony turned around shocked and glazed some destroyed parts of a building right diagonally opposite. Tony wanted to tell Bruce he would go to suit up and take a look at that, but he noticed he already had his suit on. It was weird. Banner still didn't move. After some hopeless tries to get Bruce moving again, Tony soared and landed again behind the said building.

'Tony…', he heard a strange sounding voice saying.

As he turned around, he looked at Edward, who stood next to a number of ruins.

'What are you doing here!? It's too dange-'

'You will leave me…', Edward interrupted him sadly.

'What? What are you talking about?'

'You're going to leave me now…', Edward repeated.

'No, I would never lea-'

'I'm sorry, Tony…I've got to go back', Edward started crying, 'Back to the place where the dreams are made…'

Tony made quite a few steps, before something in front of him bared him from going on. Edward lowered his head.

'What is…', Tony started, but he heard another explosion coming from the left.

'I will wait for you…', Edward cried even testier, 'I hope you'll come back one day…'

The explosion's fire came over Edward, the pressure hurled him away. Last Tony saw before Pepper ran over and took Edward in her arms, was that Edward's face was bleeding and his skin was burned all over the right side. Suddenly Steve's voice resounded loudly:

'NO, STARK! STOP IT!'

When other parts of the building crashed down on him, Tony immediately opened his eyes. He was lying in some kind of sick chamber. He rolled himself out of the bed, but he was doddery so he fell down on his knees. The rapidity of the happenings turned Stark's stomach. As he tried to throw up, there was only stomach acid coming out, which hurt his throat. He began to cough loudly.

'Where…where am I…', he said with a wheezy voice.

When he stood up, he his body was shaking. He slogged along to the door and opened it with the last of his strength, whereby he set off the alarm.

'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?', he shouted, 'WHERE AM I!?'

The same time in a different place, Steve, Natasha, Clint and Bruce heard the alarm.

'What is that?', Natasha asked.

'He woke up…', the Avengers looked to Nick Fury.

Straightaway they ran out of the room. They met Thor on the floor, Steve grabbed his arm and trailed him. When they ran round the corner, they saw Stark pulling hoses out of his body from the machines he carried to the door. Leaning himself against the wall, Tony looked over to them, Thor walked to Tony slowly.

'You're looking lousy, Stark', Clint told him and laughed.

Tony grinned, before he fell into Thor's arms. Thor let him down gently. He and Steve squatted down next to him.

'Where is Edward?', Tony asked powerless.

The others started looking at each other. They seemed to be clueless.

'Who is Edward, Tony?', Steve replied, when he looked at him again.

'What do you mean who is-', Tony couldn't finish his sentence. The bad headaches were back.

Suddenly Tony remembered Pepper leaving the sick chamber while speaking:

'I've got to leave you…I'll come back to bring some of your stuff…'

He also remembered Loki sitting next to him saying:

'Still not back? You mortals…'

Tony screamed, when the pain became harder.

'Why don't you just open your eyes, Stark? It would make so many things much easier…', Natasha told him once, before she left the room crying a little bit.

Thor's random action of coming in his room and leaving it again after telling 'Don't blame yourself for what happened. You have done, what you thought was right', came into his mind.

'Their deaths weren't your fault, Stark…', Tony heard Steve saying again.

Before he lost consciousness, Tony heard Pepper whispering:

'I miss you…'

'No! Not again! Bring some doctors here! NOW!', Steve shouted.

As Tony opened his eyes again, suddenly everything made sense:

The whole time they told him to open his eyes. Their strange behavior of not giving a qualified answer, when he asked them to tell him what was going on, the headaches while entering the old warehouses…Everything. Tony remembered Hammer coming out of jail. With a trick he caught Tony in those warehouses. There was a man with his son. The boy looked a little bit like Edward, or even how Tony remembered Edward. Could he remember him anyway? Tony shook his head and tried to stick the pieces together:

'Build a suit for me', Justin Hammer commanded.

As Tony denied, Hammer's servant immediately shot the man. His son started crying and hit himself behind Tony.

'Kill the boy as well', Hammer added disappointed.

'NO, I'll do it!', Tony shouted.

Hammer left them. The day Tony spent time on working in the shop with Edward…It hasn't been Edward. It has been the boy, whose father was shot by Hammer, because Tony didn't want to build him an Iron Man suit!

'I'll bring him out safe, if you build a functioning suit.'

'How do I know you will?', Tony asked.

'Trust me or don't. I don't care of him staying alive anyway', had been Hammer's cold answer.

Hammer stuck to his word. He brought the boy out to his mother again.

'How did I myself get out of…', Tony whispered.

He looked up and saw Loki standing next to Thor in the sick chamber.

'LOKI!', he screamed.

Stark lifted his head after his work has been almost done. A black haired woman has been standing in front of the glass panel.

'Wow. Sexy secretarial of the bad guy or what are you playing?'

'Finally', she responded and came closer to the pane, 'Finally I found you…'

Her ice-blue eyes seemed to freeze Tony's heart. The next thing Tony recollected was the day of Hammer's attack. Tony shut his eyes again, when the pain came back once more.

'IRON MAN!', someone screamed.

Tony, standing in his Iron Man suit, saw the boy Hammer just relieved from captivity.

'Are you going to save u-', the boy wanted to asked, but there the explosion was.

'Tony, I'm walking to you', Steve said, while Tony was fighting with his own memories.

Tony looked at him and asked: 'What happened?'

'Well you…', Natasha began.

'You freaked out when the little boy was killed by Justin Hammer in his Iron Man suit', Loki finished.

Stark had to shut his eyes again.

'STARK, STOP IT!', Steve shouted, when Tony attacked Hammer again and again without caring about the civilians around them. When both flew up, Rogers added:

'HULK, GET THEM DOWN!'

Tony heard the Hulk's mighty roaring.

'The new drones his employees built, picked your suit to pieces. You lost the battle. When you fell down, the rubble buried you', Fury went on, 'Hulk was so friendly to uncover you again.'

'I remember Steve sitting beside me…The Hulk roared as he did when the Chitauri-'

'But you didn't wake up from it once more…', Clint explained.

'You were in a coma for about eight months now…', Natasha told him.

'By the way, Tony…Who is Edward?', Steve asked again.

Tony shook his head and responded: 'Not of…importance…Where is Pepper!? Is she-'

'Already on her way up here', Thor answered.

Tony lay back and closed his eyes.

'I'm so…I'm so tired…'

'We should leave him…Might be too much right now', Fury supposed and left the room.

Before Bruce could exit the room, Tony asked: 'Bruce, I've got memories of Hammer screaming…What happened to him?'

'Hulk has been very angry', Bruce replied affected, 'He crashed his bones and-'

'Okay…', Tony interrupted.

'So many weeks. We almost gave him up. Do you remember these several times where his brainwaves got stronger again?', Steve reminded distraught.

'It went down as fast as it raised', Banner interrupted.

Then Pepper walked in. She went over as fast as she could. Thor started smiling and accompanied her to Tony's room.

'Don't stress yourself, lady', Thor gave her as advice while leaving the room again.

Pepper sat down on a chair next to the bed. She lay her hand on Tony's when he was moaning. Perhaps he had a nightmare again? Should she wake him up? In the end it wasn't necessary: Tony opened his eyes and looked at her. Potts smiled loving and stroked his hand softly.

'Hey…', Tony said grinning.

'Good to see you awake…', she responded.

'Yea. Well actually I don't feel so bad. I don't even know why I'm still lying in a sick chamber so…'

'Haven't changed.'

'Huh?'

'The person you like to hear talking the most is yourself. As alw-'

'Oh, I've changed! Come on, give me that…', Tony looked around, 'Give me that flower over there.'

Pepper looked at the vase on his bed stand as well.

'Yes, exactly', Tony added.

Pepper was confused, but nevertheless she took it and held it against Tony, who started playing with his hands a little bit. He concentrated really hard, before he took it from her.

'See? You can hand things to me now!', he said proudly.

'Wow. What a change', she laughed, stood up and kissed him carefully.

Now Tony was the confused one. Then he remembered all that his Happy might have been just in his fantasy as well. After she sat down again Tony noticed that something about her was weird. He glazed her stomach and pointed at it.

'Tubby', he said distracted.

'Ordinary human-beings call it pregnant, but thank you for that kind of compli-', she claimed.

'What? No. Congratulations, I mean…I…Well I-'

'Same to you', she answered and smiled.

His mouth stood open some minutes, then Stark lost consciousness once more. Busy weeks began. Tony hadn't got time to get himself together. Too many press conferences, interviews and other things to regulate. Time flew. Some days Bruce came in and told him to take his training slow. Tony just replied:

'I lost muscles for eight months. Got to get it on again.

'Don't stress your body too much.'

'Sir, don't lose out on your last appointment this week', JARVIS interposed.

'I've got it in mind, chill out. Going to have a shower, change my clothes, then I'll take my flight.

'Good look, Mister Stark', Bruce said, when Tony was going to leave.

'Thank you, buddy.'

Stark came back after thirty-two hours. Suddenly Rhodey called him.

'Hey, big boy. What is it?', Stark asked the call.

'Tony, I'm trying to get you to your fucking phone for hours, where are you!?'

'Just got back right now, what's wrong?'

Happy waited at the car, when Tony ran over. Nervousness covered his face.

'Sir?'

'BRING ME TO HER!'

'Sir, are you-'

'DO WHAT I'M TELLING YOU!', Tony shouted and got in the car.

He gave Happy the address he wanted to be taken. During the ride Tony tidied his shirt and suit collar. When they got closer to the address, Happy fell into place what Tony's excitement was about. Once he saw the hospital yet, Happy stepped on the gas.

'Finally you've got it!', Tony added, when he was pressed in the seat.

Before the car actually stopped, Tony jumped out of it and ran in to the reception.

'POTTS!', he screamed breathless.

The lady behind the reception responded: I'm sorry, Mister. We are no arcade, so-'

'I DON'T WANT ANY POT! I WANT TO PEPPER POTTS!'

'Wow. Stop shouting at me, it makes me nerv-'

'ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?'

'Tony!'

Stark turned his head and glazed Rhodey. He ran to him. Rhodey showed him the way to his beloved.

Tony stormed into the room and looked at Pepper lying in a bed, holding a baby in her arms.

'Congratulations, Mister Stark. Your daughter is gorgeous…', the doctor said and left the room…


	2. Alternate ending

_**Alternate ending:**_

Some years of bringing about came over them. Banner went back to India, Barton and Natasha pursued their work at S.H.I.E.L.D., Thor and his brother returned to their home far away and Steve built up a new life nearby the Stark Tower.

Tony whereas worked on his issues like the alcoholism. Pepper was proud he went through this hard work on himself for their family. One day Rogers came to the tower and asked Pepper:

'Where's Stark?'

'He might be in the shop. If he isn't there, he could be on the party deck, I guess', she answered smiling while tidying up the living-room.

Immediately Steve went to the intercom, pushed a button and said: 'Hey, Tony. Where are you?'

His child could see Tony starting to smile, when he heard Steve operating the intercom.

'We are here and there. Always changing our position!', Steve could hear a young voice talking.

'Well then tell me where you are right now. I wanted to visit you.'

'Shop', the answer was.

Steve moved down and went towards them. Tony started cleaning his hands with a cloth and stood up. While passing him, Steve stroked over Edward's head. The boy grinned at both, when Tony fell into Steve's arms.

'Haven't seen you for a long time, Cap.'

'Just last week', Steve laughed.

'Really? Oh, wow. Lost sense of time I think.'

Steve stepped back again and replied:

'Banner is going to show up tomorrow I've heard.'

Tony smirked.

'Yes, heard that, too. Looking forward to it.'

'Are you missing him?'

'I'm missing you all', Tony told him and went to the machine he was working on again, 'Every minute you aren't here.'

'You have got better things to do than being sad about our absence, Stark.'

'I know. Think I do a really good job at the moment', Tony responded.

Thereon Steve turned to the boy and asked:  
'Is your dad cool to you, Edward?'

'He's cool to everybody!', Edward shouted.

'What about your sister?'

'Don't know. She's offended, because she isn't allowed to work with us!'

Steve looked at Tony.

'Why didn't you bring along your girl? This waitress from the shawarma shop...', Tony skipped.

'She has to work. And why-'

'Haven't eaten shawarma for a long time, should do that again', with these words Stark went to the door, 'Want a drink?'

Steve shook his head a little bit and followed him. Tony watched Pepper picking up toys from the bottom of the living-room, when he sat down on the couch.

'Why doesn't she do it by herself?', he asked dissatisfied.

Pepper took a deep breath.

'She was crying when she ran to her room. Do you really think she's going to come out and take her stuff, risking to meet you?'

Steve sat down next to Stark and mentioned:

'Good job, huh?'

'I know what I'm doing, Cap. Don't worry', Tony took a bottle from beneath the table and placed it and a glass on the tabletop.

'Also drinking again?', Steve was clearly shocked.

'Yea. You know I learned something about myself: It's always just about limit. I'm able to control myself in that point, so why not?'

Stark noticed Steve seemed to be a little bit disappointed. Then Mary walked in and ran to Steve.

'Hey, gorgeous!', the man immediately shouted and lifted her up, 'How are you?'

She didn't answer and buried her face in his shoulder.

'Still angry with me?', Tony said and stroked her curled brown hair.

'Don't touch me, you're mean!', she screamed and pushed herself against Steve.

Tony just grinned and nipped from his glass.

'Calm down', Steve said and pushed her away a bit to look her in the eye, 'I like you most, when you're smiling.'

Softly he whisked of tears from her cheek and looked in her green, sad eyes.

'I'll go and wash my face', she said admiring the super-soldier, 'Then I'll come back to smile for you!'

Tony laughed when his daughter walked out gracefully.

'Why isn't she allowed to help you like Edward does?', Steve asked and watched Tony going over to the window.

'Got other plans for her. She's to pretty to be down in the shop all the time as I am.'

His voice contended pride. There seemed to be a plan behind it.

'One time she is ready to distinguish between justice and injustice. She'll right with everything she's going through. Trust me, I know what I'm doing.'

'You want her to take the sui-'

'Are you crazy?', Stark asked and turned to Steve again, 'When I'm gone, there won't be any need of Iron Man or the Avengers anymore. The world will be fine then...'

'Uncle Steve, would you go to the playground with us?', Edward complained when he came in.

'Don't your parents do that with you?', Steve asked surprised.

'Mum does. Dad's working too much', Mary told him after returning.

'Good job', Steve repeated ironically.

Being sure that he was doing right, Tony smiled again. When Steve agreed and told the children to dress, Tony blinked one eye and grinned at Mary. Although she didn't want to, she started smiling at him, but she actually was too proud to show him, so she turned around and went to the elevator. After the three left the room, Tony ran to Pepper, clasped her in his arms strongly and said:

'Let's make out.'

In response Pepper giggled, pushed him away and lay one finger on his lips to hamper him from talking.

'You can be SO romantic, honey, but...No.'

'Didn't expect anything different.'

She kissed him shortly.

'Now go and do that hard work, that's holding you back from playing with your kids.'

Tony lifted his head higher and asked:

'Has that been a taunt?'

'You better go noooow', Pepper replied while leaving.

In the evening Tony walked in Mary's room to say good night. She already lay in her bed and read. Carefully Tony lay down next to her and looked at the pages.

'What are you reading?', he asked.

Mary moved away from him a little bit and responded:

'A book Steve gave me. He liked it and he thought I could like it, too.'  
'You're six years old and he hands you a book he likes? I mean he's much older than you, do you even understand what is said there...Wait, we're talking about Steve. Okay, you might understand it', Tony laughed.

His daughter on the other hand wasn't amused of that.

'He isn't stupid, daddy! Not everyone can be such a dumbass genius like you are!'

'Stop offending me. Come on, don't be angry anymore', Stark moved closer to her, 'Have I told you, that I love you today?'

Suddenly Mary closed the book and placed it on her little bedside cabinet. Then she snuggled up to her father and closed her eyes. Gently Tony stroked her head and watched her fall asleep.

'Never stop banking on your abilities...', he then whispered and slid out of the bed carefully, so he didn't wake her up.

'I don't know. His behavior is really strange. But as you know Tony, you can guess, he wouldn't tell me what's wrong anyway', Stark heard Pepper tell Steve in the living-room.

'What do you mean, when you say 'strange'?', Rogers asked back.

His face had a concerned expression, when Tony peeked into the room, keeping silence.

'Weakening slightly. And every time he does and I see it, he walks away. I haven't courage to follow him then, to ask what's wrong. I'm afraid it's about the reactor and therefore his heart again', Pepper continued and offered Steve a glass of water.

After that Tony entered the room, started grinning affected and meant:

'Kids are sleeping, finished work for today, may I have a drink now?', he turned his head to Steve, when he stood before the bar, 'Just if you don't mind of course.'

'Go ahead', Steve replied and shook his head slowly.

Pepper stood up and walked to the door.

'I'll be right back', she said and closed the door behind her.

Tony on the other hand, let himself fall down on the couch and took a nip from his glass.

'Are you alright?', Steve meant and looked at his friend.

'I'm fine.'

'Are you sure?', the soldier added, noticing Tony shortly looked at his chest, before he drank from the glass again.

'What do you want to hear, Steve?', Tony replied and turned his upper body to the man, sitting next to him, 'Do you want to hear, I'm feeling bad? Do you want to hear, I'm afraid of dying? Do you want to hear there are not many days left, I can make use of, before I have to leave?'

'Are these questions or a statement?'

Steve's face became even more concerned.

'I said: I am fine', Tony repeated, stood up and went to the door, just when Pepper came back.

Questioning she looked at him, whereupon he explain, he had forgotten to do an important thing. As he passed her, Pepper and Steve stared at each other, while she was wondering, which 'thing' her partner in life has meant.

'It's like our start', Rogers suddenly laughed, 'Every time we're talking to each other, we start to argue about anything.'

'He walked away. I guess, you confronted him with what I've told you?'

'Actually I just asked once more, how he's doing.'

'Strange behavior, you see?'  
While Steve tried to blow their cobwebs away, down in the shop J.A.R.V.I.S mentioned:

'Sir, I'd really advise to tell Miss Potts about the-'

'You would? Lucky you, that you won't, right?', Stark interrupted the computer and checked up the inner photographies of his chest.

'The blood sample doesn't look promising. Also the tissue around the reactor seem to come up with the chronic infection. Additionally the magnet can't hold the splinters from the cardiac septum anymore, it just slows down the process.'

'So?'

'Pressure could cause the intrusion of the splinters, which means-'  
'I know, what that means, thank you. MUTE!', Tony meant, when he heard the door opening.

'Daddy?', Mary asked quietly and trudged into the room.

She hold her cuddly blanket in one hand, dragging it over the ground while walking over to her father.

'Why aren't you sleeping?', Stark asked and took her up, then set her down on his lap.

'I felt cold and then I saw, you were gone and there was a depressing feeling about this. So I stood up to look for you.', she answered sleepy, pressing her back against Tony's body.

Immediately the father felt sick. Even if he nearly wasn't able to speak, he tried to calm her down:

'Once I will be gone. Physically. I'll stay inside of your heart, unless you release me. So if you don't want me to...there's no way, I'd ever leave you.'

His bleating confused the girl. She raised her head, pressing it against Tony's chest and replied:

'Daddy?'

Tony rubbed his eyes to hide his tears from her and said:

'Yes, that's me.'

'I love you.'

Sleepy she lowered her head again, cuddled her blanket and closed her eyes. Then Tony stood up carefully to carry her back to her bed.

'But there's no god. So there are no souls. How can you stay then?', she muttered.

Tony didn't reply anything, so she fell asleep once more. In a quiet and careful way, he put her into her bed again, carpeted her. Silently took another look at her. Then he went out. Steve watched him closing the door, staring on the ground.

'I'm going to leave for today', the soldier said, not moving from the tile, he was standing on.

Not responding Tony went over, wrapped his arms around the obviously now confused man, and gave him a strong squeeze, asking:

'Have I ever told you, that I love you, man?'

'And you are fine, right?', Steve answered a little bit angry, but put his arms around Tony, who released him quickly again.

'Yea, I'm fine. But you never know, when it's too late to let people know those things.'

A few seconds after Tony has scrutinized Steve's expression, he added:

'Stop looking so confused. I've grown up and I know how to let others know about my feelings. Why can't you just be happy about it?'

His laughter made Steve even more angry. Without changing his facial expression, he replied:

'I am', and left Stark standing in the corridor.

The next day, early in the morning, Edward came to his parents' bedroom and jumped on the bed.

'Wake up! C'mon, wake up! They're almost there!'

Bad-tempered Tony opened his eyes and grabbed Edwards leg, whereupon the boy fell down laughing onto the mattress. On Pepper's side. Where she wasn't lying.

'Where's your mother?', the man asked and put a pillow on his face.

'She was cleaning. And now we're are waiting for you! We already had breakfast and...I'm still hungry. But-'

'Do me a favor and don't stress me. Go out, I'll follow in a few minutes.'

As Edward wanted to agree to Tony's appeal and grabbed the pillow, he felt wetness and meant:

'Yuck! What's that?'

'Edward, get out', Stark repeated, whereon Edward jumped up and went out.

Slowly Tony whisked off the remaining sweat from his forehead and staggered into the bathroom. He took out some medications, antagonising the infection and the shaking of his limbs. As he came to the living-room a few minutes later, he heard Pepper say:

'Usually he's the first one being on his feet.'

'And exactly today, he's late!'

Tony laughed, when he recognised that shouting towards him came from Banner.

'I AM not even late. You haven't told us, when you'd arrive, so...'

Nodding Bruce stood up and went to him. The moment, when Tony hold his hand towards the doctor, this grabbed the hand, pulled Tony closer and hugged him. Surprised Tony lay his hands onto Banner's back and looked at Steve, who was sitting on the couch and meant:

'I've let him know, you're finally able to show other people, how you feel.'

'I haven't said, how I felt about Bruce', Tony laughed, actually depressed, and clapped on the doctor's back, until he released the scientist.

'How are you doing?', Bruce asked kindly and took a short look at Stark's bodily conditions.

Before he answered, Tony moved over to the bar, got a drink, then said in return:

'I'm okay. Felt a little bit dizzy, after Edward shook the whole bed, I was lying in, with his trampoline-action.'

Really quiet Pepper clicked her tongue, went to her boyfriend and took the glass off Tony's hand, before he could kiss the cup.

'Consult your watch', she mentioned and stroked his chin gently.

Annoyed by her control-compulsion, that was, what he liked to call it, Tony got to the couch and let himself fall down. Absent-minded he watched the sun edging through the heavy cloud cover. Just in that moment Mary climbed on the couch and took a seat next to her father. She started talking, what pulled Stark out of his reverie.

'And I think, it would look awesome on the suits.'

'Sorry, sweetie?', Tony responded, then he looked down to her hands.

Mary was holding a blue-coloured cloth bandage. Reserved Tony took it and meant:

'The suits aren't Christmas trees, you know? And blue? Pardon, but blue?'

The girl fluffed her cheeks and replied:

'I like blue! And if you don't want it, give it back!'

She held her arm in direction of the bandage, but Stark raised his arm, so she had to stand up, tried to grab the bandage, unfortunately still couldn't reach it. By lifting her arms and tiptoeing, her shirt rucked up, whereupon Tony puffed on her stomach. The vibration and the sound made her and Edward laugh out loudly. Immediately the boy also jumped on the couch. Then he jumped on Tony's shoulder, desperately trying to get the bandage with one hand, without falling down, so adhering to Stark's shoulder with the other hand.

'I hate you! Why are you that tall?!', Mary shouted laughing and observed Edward, until she grabbed Tony's arm and tried to pull it down. A little bit shocked she looked at her father's face, as she noticed, she was hanging in the air and Tony's arm wasn't moving.

'It's not about size. My advantage is: I'm Iron Man. And you're not!'

With these words Stark carefully got rid of his children, stood up, then ran away holding the bandage in his hand in triumph. Smiling to himself Bruce watched the kids running after their father, sliding with their socks on the slippery tiles. When Tony turned around, he shortly saw Mary whispering into Edward's ear. The boy made a dart for his father. As the man wanted to run away again, Edward suddenly fell down, face ahead onto the ground. Shocked Tony ran to him, squatted down and asked:

'Are you okay!?'

Worried Steve stood up to have a better view. Suddenly Mary jumped onto Tony's back, clinging on his shoulders and took the bandage. As Edward lifted his head, his nose was bleeding, but he meant:

'Totally worth it!', after he has seen Mary holding the bandage.

Tony set on a poker face and looked at Pepper, Steve and Bruce. The doctor couldn't hold it and sank down by laughing so badly. Proudly Mary slid down from Stark's back and stalked over to Steve, showed him the bandage and climbed on the couch.

'Advantage: Mary', the captain said and sat down again, grinning at her.

'I let her win, that's all', Tony replied and stood up.

'US!', Edward demanded, whereon his father meant:

'Yea. Of course. How could I forget about that. C'mon, Sunshine.'  
He lifted Edward up, left the room and headed to a bathroom to clean his face.

'Actually I don't see, what you meant, when you said 'bad mood'', Bruce mentioned, as he was able to stop laughing.

Steve looked at Pepper, who replied:  
'I don't know what it is, but I guess he's feeling safer, when you're around.'

Later the kids decided to involve Banner into a painting lesson on the living-room's floor. While Bruce was more reluctant, as the children started to fight about the colours they needed to finish their pictures, Tony checked up some data shortly. He noticed a strange access in the shop, so he went down. Turning on the lights and scrutinizing the room, he couldn't see anything unusual. Until he walked over to the suits. The Mark VII, the suit he used to use at the moment, had a blue bandage around its wrist. Tony lowered his head, smiled to himself and wanted to leave the shop quietly. Then he found Pepper standing behind him, looking up into his eyes, as he turned around. Wordless she wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head on his shoulder, whereas he leaned his head against hers. After a while Tony felt her hands sliding down his back. Sliding up again, stopping on his shoulder blades.

'Come on, Iron Dad', she then whispered, 'Swing your sexy butt up to your guests again. Forget about the suits for one single day.'

'Sexy butt? Do you really think, they're interested in my butt?', Tony laughed and moved a little backwards, without releasing her.

'I don't care, but I want to see it up there', she answered and bit on her underlip.

'Interesting, because every time, I try to-'

'Get up!'

'Yes, sir.'

Shaking his behind while walking, Tony moved to the door. Giggling Pepper followed him. Returning to the living-room she added:

'I don't know, honey, but anyhow you're even more sexy, when you stop making any noise.'

'These are words, I clearly didn't want to hear, actually', they suddenly heard a well-known voice say.

Clint and Natasha sat next to Steve and looked to the door.

'Is this open day?', Tony replied to the male agent.

'We're glad to see you, too, Stark', Romanoff laughed.

'Only the thunderstorm is missing now.'

Almost hoping Tony looked out of the window and searched for the clouds, the sun has dislodged already. Then he turned to the others and shouted:

'WHAT THE FUCK!?'

Shocked Pepper stared at Tony. Tony stared at Bruce. Bruce stared at Edward, who painted the doctor's face.

'Son!?', Tony added, which was why Edward looked up wondering.

'What? He didn't want to hulk out, so I had to paint his skin green. It's cooler! You wanted all of them to be here, didn't you? So here we have the S.H.I.E.L.D-agents, the captain, you, Hulk', the boy pointed at Bruce's face, then grabbed his hands and lifted them, 'And here's Bruce. Unfortunately I can't invoke the Thunderman...'

Unbelieving Stark facepalmed and murmured anything.

'Tony?', Steve asked interested.

'Huh? Well...Nothing. There are just times, I wonder, what's just wrong with this boy.'  
'You mean, except from the fact, that he's your son?', Clint replied.

'Ha, ha. Laughing my ass off. Seriously, what happened to The Avengers?'

'That's easy!', Steve shouted, 'They've become...Uh...Parentagers.'

'That's not even a word', Tony responded.

Rolling his eyes, Barton turned his head to Rogers and meant:

'Hasn't changed at all.'

'In his defence: He's the only one, who has kids', Natasha said smiling.

Then the children ran out, having Banner on their tail, acting as if the Hulk would try to catch them. After they had left, Tony told them:  
'I didn't knew about the first one, as you might remember and the second one was a...actually more an accident, than anything else.'

'This wasn't nice', Steve replied and looked down.

'It isn't my job to be nice. My job is it, to be honest.'

'To start my statement, I'm going to quote you: There are times, I wonder...if you want us to hate you', Clint responded seriously.

'Why? I haven't said, they're not the best, that could ever have happened to me and I haven't said I don't love them, either. Just told you the facts.'  
'Would you mind, stopping your conversation right on th-', Pepper started, but Steve interrupted:

'To be honest? As you are referring to yourself?'

'-is point?'

'Why are you coming up with this again!?'

Tony's voice became louder.

'Because you're saying the one thing and acting differently from what you've said before!'

'Guys, you're rude.'

'No', Clint told Natasha, 'Let them. I'm really into this conversation.'

As Steve stood up, Tony suddenly felt pressed and left the room. Without caution or rethinking, Rogers followed him and grabbed his arm.

'Promise me something!', Tony shouted, before he dared to look at Steve, who released him immediately, 'Promise to care about them, once I'm gone!'

Subsequently Steve was sure about, what he was worrying. Silently he stared at Stark, who desperately waited for an answer. The father clenched his teeth, grabbed Steve's collar and pushed him against the wall, still staring into his eyes.

'Promise it! You have to!', he ordered whispering.

Totally serious the leader stared back into Stark's eyes.

'Promise it!'

Slowly Tony lowered his head and leaned it slightly against Steve's chest, biting on his underlip, holding back tears.

'Promise', Steve responded, not moving, not averting his gaze from him.

After a while the muscle tension drained away, but instead of branching off as well, Steve wrapped his arms around Tony once more and pressed him against his own body. Confused Mary and Edward, silently waiting at a corner at one end of the floor, observed the happenings, until Bruce found them and growled. Laughing the kids ran away, which made Steve and Tony step back from each other, before the kids passed them. As Banner followed them, he decided not to ask about what the two men were doing. The moment Tony started rubbing his eyes, Steve spoke:

'Stark?'

'No, don't. Just don't', was his answer, 'I don't want any advices or questions. The only thing I'm thinking about for years is, what happens to them, when I'm gone. Gods, aliens, monsters, super-soldiers...I'm not a man for that. I'm fucking afraid, because I couldn't do anything. I'm-'  
'Protecting, what's important to you, worked pretty good the whole time. Where's the problem?'

'For which cost? Pepper has been right, when she once said, she's afraid of me losing my life in those actions. Even if their a part of me, even if I'm able to fight next to those gods and monsters against our enemies, Steve...It's killing me.'

Shortly Steve scrutinized the arc-reactor, then moved his eyes up to Stark's eyes again.

'I haven't really cared about my health. I was busy by fighting the past. And now, where I could think about it, it's almost too late. And there are other things, that keep me busy.'

'As long as you have friends like us, you don't need to be worried about your family, I still don't see the problem', Steve meant arrogantly, 'If you need time, take your time. The only thing, you always need to do is telling us. Telling us about your issues, your concerns...'

The tone in Steve's voice, this conviction, made him smile after all. After Steve told him to enjoy his life, like he has used to, they returned to the living-room. Bruce was washing his face with a wet cloth. While Edward introduced his favourite cuddle toy to Clint and Natasha, Mary carefully looked at her father and tried to figure out, what Steve and he have meant in their conversation. Realizing the girl was watching him, caught Tony's attention. He looked back and smiled softly, whereupon she ran over to him, smiled back and lifted her arms. Tony took her on his arms, gave her a kiss on the cheek and took a seat on the armchair. Sitting on his lap, Mary grabbed Tony's hands and kept herself busy by moving his fingers the way she wanted. She felt comfortable as she felt his arms over her shoulders and watched him surrounding her hands with his, stroking her palms with his thumbs. Then Pepper lay her arms over Tony's shoulders from behind and watched the sitters' hands.

'This is exactly like the good old times', Clint then mentioned, 'But with some special additions.'

He looked at Edward, who was pretending the cuddle toy was alive and dancing on his legs.

'It's destiny', Steve reckoned and leaned back against the wall.

'Do you know, what your destiny will be today honey?', Pepper whispered into Tony's ear, who widened his eyes and shook his head, 'I haven't banked on Natasha and Clint, so you'll go to a discounter and you will buy some stuff, we'll need additionally.'

'Oh, no. Can't we just order that stuff online? I don't want to go to a discounter, buying stuff like ordinary people would. I hate it to be nor-'

'But it's sounds like a great idea. Let's all go there', Natasha suggested, 'So Clint and I can collect the stuff, we'd like to have-'

'-And Stark pays', Clint added and grinned at the host.

Tony grinned ironically and shook his head again.

'Yes', his girlfriend decided and walked away determining.

'This is a conspiracy.'

'What does that mean?', Edward meant and looked at Clint.

'It means everybody is mean to your dad and he isn't able to do anything about it.'

'Ha ha!', the boy shouted and jumped up, 'I'm conspiracing you!'

'Conspiring...', Stark replied and rubbed his eyes with one hand.

'I'm conspiring you!'

'Still not quite right, but it's okay.'

'It would be 'conspiring against you', Eddie', Mary suddenly explained.

Both, Tony and Edward looked at her. Natasha, sitting between Barton and Banner, whispered something only they could hear, whereupon both changed glances between Mary and Tony and then Edward. As Tony took a look on his watch, he put Mary down from his lap and stood up with the words:

'Well, let's get the shopping over and done with.'

'Look closely', Natasha added quietly and nodded towards Tony, who was about to leave the room.

His daughter followed him in the same posture, whereas Edward slid from the couch, ran after them and shouted:

'Can I get a new toy there!?'

When the rest followed slowly, they saw Pepper handing a shopping list to Tony, who perused it. But Potts ripped it off again and meant:

'You know what? You're not going to get the right things anyway. I'm coming with you.'

'Are you trying to blame me?', Tony responded, 'Conspiracy. I told you!'

The man looked down to Mary, who just giggled and ran to the elevator on the hallway. Waiting for the door to close, Edward excited pressed the button to get the elevator down – the only button he was able to reach. Down in the lobby Pepper hasted around to check if she has forgotten anything, before they left. During this Edward attempt to put on his shoes.

'Pull yourself together, soldier!', Steve called, went down on his haunches and helped the boy to lace up the shoes.

Edward chewed on the strap of his pullover's hood. Relieved by watching them Tony took a deep breath.

'Wherever Steve is going to go with, I'm with him!', Mary shouted and ran to the door.

'If he hadn't a girlfriend, I'd really start to be worried', Tony mentioned, when Pepper grabbed his hand and followed their daughter out of the tower.

'She's six, Tony...', Pepper answered and headed to the car.

'I know how old she is!'

'You neeeever knoooooow', Clint said, shaking his hand as if he was weighing the truth content in Stark's statement.

'Stop bullying me!'

Barton just laughed and entered their car with Banner and Natasha. The relieved feeling disappeared slowly, when Edward stood on going with the Hulk. The only thing Tony really wanted in this moment was, that he's the only hero to his children. Instead they admired everybody, but him. Considering this, it came to his mind it might be a little egoistic. It really was, wasn't it? Tony couldn't help, but nevertheless he was a bit disappointed. While Bruce strapped Edward in, Stark nagged about the driver-seat's position:  
'Seriously, how are you able to operate this car, sitting like this?'

'Just set it up the way you need to and start the motor', Steve meant, before Pepper could explain herself.

Intentionally Mary sat down next to Steve in the middle of the back seat and leaned her head against his arm.

'No remarks from the peanut gallery', Tony laughed and started the motor, 'Vroom, vroooom!'

'So, Miss Potts, what is it like to have three kids at home?', Steve asked with a provoking expression on his face.

'Exhausting', she just giggled.

When they arrived at the discounter, parked the cars and left them, Edward immediately ran over to the shopping trolleys and jumped from one leg on the other, impatiently waiting for his father to unchain it. After Tony has done, the boy jumped on the lower tray and leaned his back against Tony's legs.

'Yea. That's not working', Tony said, as he started walking, pushing his knees against Edward's back again and again.

'Ooooow...'

Sulking Edward dismounted, walked to the other end of the trolley and pulled it, to 'help' Tony moving it. Annoyed by entering the discounter, Stark followed the focussed Pepper slowly. While she was collecting the needful things, Edward turned right into a different passage. Interested Tony followed him. First just with his eyes, then he moved towards him.

'Were are you going?', he asked.

After he has said that, Edward turned around quickly and held a model aeroplane towards his father. Tony looked at the cardboard box and shook his head.

'But it's the newest! I need it!', the boy yelled.

'I said no.'

'You haven't said anything, you've shaken your head!'

'That means no.'

'Please!'

'No.'

'But I neeeeeeeeeeeed dis!'

Tony narrowed his eyes to slits and replied:

'Speak clearly.'

'I need this...', Edward repeated, more carefully speaking.

Clint watched them from the end of the corridor and called:

'That coming from an ugly American! Is your way of expression so much better?'

Basically Edward hasn't even understood, what Clint was talking about, but he nodded approving. Then he left the toy-passage again, as he heard Pepper calling for Tony.

'I'll build it then. And I'm going to steal your tools for it!', the child yelled, walking backwards in his mother's direction.

'Have fun', Tony laughed and followed snugly.

'In your shop.'

'You won't do anything without me in the shop.'

'With or without your permission and you can't do anything! Mwahahahaha!'

'Anything else, you're dreaming of?', Stark continued laughing.

'A pony! Say a pony, Eddie!'

Steve, holding Mary's hand, looked at her and laughed shortly.

'I want candy, mum!'

'Don't eat the fucking candy!', Barton suddenly shouted. Edward, Tony and Pepper stared at him quietly.

Clint's cheeks blushed a bit, he turned his head away and whispered:

'Sorry. Just came to my mind...'

'Anyone here, who isn't weird, please lift your hand', Natasha exclaimed, whereupon Steve, Mary and Pepper lifted one of their hands.

Concentrated Banner turned the corner, staring at the first page of a book, which he was carrying. Not realizing the way he was going, he bumped against the trolley and looked up.

'Have I ever mentioned, I love this comedy of the situations we're always in?', Tony asked and looked around into the smirking faces of his friends.

Silently Bruce checked his purse. Suddenly Tony took the book out of his hands and threw it into the trolley. The more they resided in the shop, the quieter Tony became. He was sauntering behind Pepper, while the children ran around the adults. Recognising his pale face at the cash desk, Pepper went over to him, lay her hand on his neck and whispered:

'Are you all right?'

Still quiet Tony just nodded. Carefully Pepper took away her hand again and added:

'Have you just taken a shower or is it cold sweat?'

'I'm okay.'

The noise of the cash desk made him nervous. He squint his eyes when they headed to the exit. Right before the doors opened, Tony heard his daughter say:

'Daddy?', then he lost it.

He fell down, couldn't hold anymore. No chance to control his weakened body. No chance to hang on to anything or anyone. Next up he felt the cold floor on the back of his hands. The lights started hurting in his eyes, so he closed them. Breathing became harder and faster. Everything went quickly: Pepper's hand on his cheek, her concerned voice, Bruce's tries to keep him awake, the noise of an ambulance, Mary's hand at his belt, when the ambulance services raised him on a litter.

'Don't take him away!', she yelled, but the men transported Stark into the car.

Her mother took a seat next to Tony and continued talking to him, but got no reaction.

'Daddy?', Mary asked once more, whereon Tony lifted his head and looked at her tear-stained face, before the doors closed and he lost his power to hold his head again.

Later he opened his eyes and found himself in a hospital room. Carefully he looked around and recognised Natasha and Clint, who were sitting next to his bed.

'Where-'

'You are in hospital, the kids are at home with Banner and Steve and Miss Potts is waiting for the doctor on the corridor', Hawkeye let him know.

Wordless Stark scrutinized the drug infusion, the tubes and the vein catheters.

'Well, Mister Stark', a strange voice began, so Tony looked to the door, where a coated-man came through, 'Your body fell into a state of shock from the infection, you're carrying.'

'An infection?', Pepper sounded shocked and turned to the lying man, 'An infection!?'

'Look, I haven't known myself. I took some medications, when I felt dizzy, but-'

'Funny that you've taken exactly the right one against infections, instead of a medicine for dizziness', the doctor mentioned, 'Additionally we've found pain medication in your blood. Any other tablets, we should know about?'

'Check up the alcohol concentration in his blood!'

Natasha rolled his eyes and looked at the other agent.

'Alcohol after taking those tablets? Are you insane?'

'Still uncertain. Am I allowed to go home?', Tony asked and sat up.

'We can't coerce you, but I advice you to stay this night, so we-'

'Nope, thank you.'

'Tony!', Pepper's voice sounded even more scared than before, 'If you-'

'No, stop.'

'But they-'

'Stop it. I wanna go home and that's it. I'm okay again. Give me more medications and in a few days, I'm fit again. Sure, I've seen better days', Tony stood up and changed his clothes, 'But...I'm going to fix it. Trust me, I know exactly, what I'm doing.'

Unbelieving Natasha shook her head, as she watched Stark staggering to the door.

'If you want to get home, you'll have to walk. I won't let you get into the car. Make your choice: Stay here for the night and I'm going to fetch you tomorrow or...take a walk.'

Slowly Tony turned around again and looked at Pepper's purposeful face. He bit on his lip to stop himself from saying something. Then he took a short break, contemplated and meant:

'May I talk to you for a minute?'

Pepper walked over to him and stopped close to him and looked up. By courtesy the agents and the doctor looked away.

'Listen, I don't like anyone, but you, touching me. That's why I'm avoiding to get ill. I don't-'

'Do you think, I didn't know that?', she hissed back whispering.

'- want anybody...Well, but if you've known it already, why would you-'

'I won't take you home today. End of discussion. If he says-'

'- let me...Pepper, I really don't like it. I hate it, so to speak.'

'- you need to stay the night, then...Well, that isn't my problem.'

Rolling his eyes Tony put his hands into his pockets, to show her his dislike having her closer to him in that moment. She on the other side just sighed, lay her hands onto his cheeks gently and whispered:

'If you don't want to do it for me, do it for the little ones. Do you want them to see you sink down like that once more?'

Stark lowered his head. Yet he heard her talking, but his own thoughts started to become louder and louder.

'Tony...Please...', she added.

As there was not reaction from her partner, she kissed him slowly and gave Natasha and Clint the sign to follow her out of the room. Once again Tony looked back and watched them turning the corner.

'When is he coming back, mommy?', Edward later asked, sitting at the dinner-table, picking at his food.

'Tomorrow, honey. Thank you', she answered and applied to Bruce, who handed her the basket of bread.

'I don't like peas...', the boy replied, still picking.

'You haven't ate them at lunch. Please don't start a discussion.'

'A discussion?', Clint laughed, 'He's four and you would discuss?'

Stressed Pepper sighed again countered:

'Tony's about five in his head, too, sometimes. Nevertheless I have to discuss with him. Anything to add?'

Clint apologised, what made Pepper feel bad about her reaction. Concerned she stood up.

'Excuse me...'

Against all helplessness, Steve risked to follow her. He found her leaning at a wall on the corridor. Seeing him made her smile a bit.

'Hey...', she meant with a shaking voice.

Keeping silence Steve placed himself next to her and waited. Staring at Tony and keeping silence, worked to make him speak after all. Why shouldn't it work with Miss Potts, he thought and looked at her sympathetically.

'I hate those situations', here we go, 'There's anything on his heart and he's struggling against letting me know. Today there's more to care about and he can't see. I need to know about his problems, so that I can help him figure it out, so he can help me raise our children...'

'I don't know him the way you do, Ma'am. But I'm pretty sure, it's true when he says, he knows, what he is doing. He has lain emphasis on the fact, that he's always telling the truth. I for one count on his words.'

Pepper smiled again, took a deep breath and returned to the dinner-table. As she left Mary's room later on, after he has bid her good night, she heard Edward speaking loudly in his room. Slowly Pepper opened the door and looked inside. Edward was sitting on his blanket, his tablet leaning against the wall, which showed Tony sitting in his hospital room.

'And as I told you...', the boy started and hanged down over the edge of the bed and pulled something out under it.

He held a self-made replication of the model aeroplane into the tablet's camera.

'Oh. So, have you stolen my tools?', Pepper heard Tony ask.

'Yes!', Edward answered, sounding proudly.

'And against my will, you have built that in the shop?'

'No...', now he sounded disappointed, 'Because you've forbidden...'

'That's right. However it worked, didn't it? You mother doesn't want you to stay in the shop all the time anyway, so...Oh, look how comes into your room.'

Shocked Edward turned his head and watched Pepper sitting down on the bed's edge slowly.

'I wanted him to sleep...', she said and looked at the tablet to look Tony in the eye.

'Yap, I've told him so. But he has said, he has been too excited to sleep, so he had to show me his creation. Have you already shown it to her?', Tony replied, then looked through the camera to Edward.

The child shook his head. After that he handed Pepper the model.

'Wow', she responded and smiled.

'Look at that, genius! She's never that impressed, when I show her my new stuff...'

Arrogantly she turned her head to the tablet and answered:

'That's because your new stuff, actually isn't new. It's always about the suits.'

'But there are innovations!'

'Yea...whatever', she replied, but smiled at him.

Depressed he smirked back. Then he meant:

'Well, buddy...Now that I've seen it, would you go to bed then?'

'Ooooow...'

'C'mon Edward, I'm going to come back tomorrow and if you want to play, you should collect energy!'

The boy set on an 'Are-you-kidding-me?'-face, knowing Tony has been the one, who got winded quickly. Tony's grin transformed itself from depressed to embarrassed, because Edwards has noticed, it wasn't a good argument. Nevertheless Edward waved into the camera, Tony waved back. After he shut the call, Pepper lay the tablet onto Edward's bedside locker, carpeted him again, gave him a soft kiss and left the room.

The next day Tony ran through the hospital impatiently. He knew the medical outcome now. J.A.R.V.I.S has told him before, but the doctor confirmed it. In that moment he only wanted to get home. But he had to wait. Wait for the Okay to go home harmless. Being safe from collapsing once more. All the passing employees made him even more nervous. He returned to his room, sat down at the table in front of the window, looked out for a moment, then took out his Stark phone.

Natasha opened the door carefully and took a look inside. She heard a well-known voice say:

'Why haven't ya told anyone? Isn't dis important for your family to know? Why haven't you cared about it, before it was too late!?'

'I...I tried. There simply was no moment, in which I could have told her. I've waited for the right moment...'

'Stark, there is no right moment in telling your beloved, you're probably goin-'

'Hang on a sec', Tony interrupted Fury, when he noticed Natasha and Clint standing in the door, 'Well, you know about it now. I guess, I'm going to be fetched. See you.'

He replaced and looked at the agents.

'Ready?'

Tony nodded towards the direction behind them, where a doctor tried to get in.

'So?', Tony asked and stood up.

'Well, Mister Stark...You got better very quickly, so you could-''  
'All right', Tony interrupted him, took the rest of his stuff and jostled through the three persons.

When he left the hospital, Tony took a deep breath.

'Ah! New York's smog in the morning. Best thing ever. By the way', he turned to the agents, 'Why hasn't Pepper fetched me? I mean...she said, she would.'

'She had to care for some phone calls', Natasha answered, 'She's still the CEO of Stark Industries, remember? Rest of the time she's a mother.'

That mother-thing. It was an excuse for everything. Once Tony has tried to justify his work on the suits, the child-protecting-father-argument didn't weigh. Stark nodded and headed to Barton's car. He sat down on the back seat and looked out of the window. Silently Clint and Natasha looked at each other, then at Tony. Obviously they were clueless as they saw in him, he still felt pretty bad.

'Miss Potts told us, we should tell you, if you feel ready to leave the hospital, you are also able to fetch your girl from school.'

The houses, the cars, the signs – everything passed Tony by. He heard somebody calling his name.

'Stark?', Natasha repeated once again.

'Huh? Yea.'

Through the driving mirror Natasha watched Tony turning off his Stark Phone. He found it awkward to beg for a repetition of her words, but he couldn't figure out, what she has been saying. His thoughts were too loud. The image of the doctor, standing in front of him, turning into a judge, passing judgement on Stark. The faces of his laughing children revolving around him. Their voices, the softness of their skin. The warmness of their bodies, when they came to cuddle with him. Their sharpness, their apprehension, endurance. Suddenly it occurred to Tony:

Finally he understood his father's words to hundred percent.

'My greatest creation', he spoke to himself.

'What?', Clint replied.

Seeing the tower, made Tony almost jump out of the car. Clint couldn't stop the car completely, when he exited it and ran into the Stark Tower.

'Welcome home, Sir', Tony heard J.A.R.V.I.S say, as he entered the elevator.

'Where are the kids?'

'The boy is playing in the living-room, watched by Doctor Banner. The girl is still at school, Sir.'

'Tell him to get down. My son, not Banner.'

It took a few minutes, then Edward came into the shop. Usually he was happy to see his dad, but the fact this called him to come to the shop, made him feel uncomfortable. The boy tried hardly to remember, if he had broken anything down there and hasn't told his parents. Carefully he came closer step-by-step. The moment when he saw Tony smile at him, he increased his speed and ran into his arms. A little bit surprised Tony laughed and heaved him up, turned around shortly to make him lose momentum.

Later Pepper entered the shop, too. She saw Tony standing behind Edward, holding his arm. Around the boy's arm she detected some cables. On his palm lay one of the armour's repulsors.

'Get ready...', Tony whispered, whereupon Edward constricted the muscles in his arm, 'GO!'

The repulsor-power, that came out, hit the target in front of them, which Tony has placed there.

'Ouch...It hurt a little in my arm', Edward meant and looked to the side, noticing Pepper.

'Yea, that's because you have to get stronger. Then it-'

'Haven't I told you, I don't want them to learn about it?'

Slowly Tony turned his head and saw Pepper's concerned glance. Carefully he took away the machine part from Edward's arm, but Pepper left the shop, without adding anything. Stark ran after her and said:

'Where have you been the whole time? I could have told you, if you had time!'

'What about your daughter?', Pepper asked and went up the stairs.

'Huh? What do you mean?'

She sighed and entered the quarter-floor. Getting into the living-room, she said:

'Haven't you told him to fetch Mary from school?'

Wondering Clint and Natasha looked at her and meant:

'Yes, we have.'

'Oh...Shit', Tony responded and searched his keys.

'I already did, don't worry. But by the way: Why is your phone turned off? She has tried to get you on it, but she hasn't got a response.'

' By the way: Why haven't you fetched me from hospital? You told me, you would', Tony answered annoyed.

Unbelieving she looked at him, while Edward sneaked towards the on the couch sitting adults. The girl stopped at the corridor, when she saw her parents standing in the door of the living-room. Disappointed she lowered her head, after she has looked at her father.

'I'm still CEO of Stark Industries, honey', Pepper answered, ironically underling the nickname.

'Yes, already heard that.'

'And I am a mother.'

Stark rolled his eyes and sighed.

'Where's time for Pepper then? You're a mother. Gotcha. But you need time to be Pepper as well...'

'It really would help, when you'd finally be ready to give up on your problems and help me then! There is simply no time for 'Pepper', if I haven't got time, because of children, jumping around me, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week!', she shouted, which was why Mary sneaked into the living-room, too.

Looking for protection she hid behind Bruce, standing before the table, watching the situation.

'Why don't you just take your time? What's so difficult about it?'

'How can anybody be so egoistic!?'

'Well, sometimes you have to-'

Pepper freaked out, when she heard Tony saying this. With all her might she slapped his face. Shocked everyone stared at Pepper.

'Look at them!', she continued and looked into Tony's shocked face, 'Look at them!'

Slowly he averted his gaze from her and looked at the kids, staring at their parents with big eyes.

'And now tell me once more, I should take my time, leaving them alone, so I would have time to myself.'

Angrily she passed him, adding:

'I'm already sorry, because I may have hurt you, but today you clearly got carried away.'

This was ridiculous. As if he wouldn't have done everything for his children. As if he would ever leave them high and dry. As if he has been such a bad father, like she was implying. Being hurt Stark moved away from the living-room and backtracked in their bedroom.

The next hours her behaviour towards the others in the living-room, lifted the spirits again. Then when Tony entered the room carefully, Edward jumped around his father.

'Daddy, look!'

But Stark didn't react. He observed Pepper walking around the table. She out down Steve's glass, which this has approached her for, then she realised Tony's arrogant expression. Normally she would have told him to welcome Steve and his girlfriend, but not this time. She knew, he was up to start the game. Shortly she made sure, the children were in good hands with the other Avengers. After that she strode around the table again, was on the way to the other end of the room, but always kept her eyes glued to Tony. Bruce called Edward back, as he noticed the parents observing each other carefully. Wilfully Pepper used her hips more than usual while walking. She got a severe look from he partner. Inconspicuously she stroked over the beginning of her upper legs, which made Tony licking over his teeth impatiently. It took a few minutes of this behaviour, until she moved to the door and left the room slowly. Immediately Tony followed her. Arriving at the corridor, he looked to the right – nothing. As he wanted to check the other side, Pepper already grabbed his collar, pulled him around the corner, smashed him against the wall and kissed him vehemently. Softly Tony ran his fingers through her hair. Obviously she still has been angry: She grabbed his collar once more, but in a harder way and pulled him against the wall again. Stark wasn't able to deny, this didn't turn him on. Therefore he started to breathe more quickly. Both felt a tingling sensation on their lips. So, Tony thought, they had to go further. Fast. As fast as possible. When he lifted her up, she embraces his hips with her legs, didn't stop kissing and biting him. The moment Pepper attended to his neck, Tony groaned quietly. Every touch was just like magic. Suddenly they felt each other's body temperature go up extremely rapidly. Then Tony let his hands slid under Pepper's shirt and carried her towards their bedroom. In the meantime Pepper leaned back a bit and took of her shirt. Trembling with excitement she lost it just in front of the door, which was kicked shut by Stark, after they have entered the room.

'Wow, that was a short visit.'

Laughing Steve looked at his girlfriend and nipped from his glass. As they noticed, Pepper and Tony wouldn't return today, Steve decided to put the children to bed. Hand in hand he walked over the corridor, until he found Pepper's shirt lying on the ground. Softly he released Edward's hand and picked it up.

'Taking time for yourself isn't that bad, is it?', Tony asked quietly, looking at Pepper's naked arm lying on his chest.

Then she stopped stroking his neck and hit his upper arm with her fist, what made him laugh shortly. After a while both of them fell asleep. Beside sleeping Pepper recognised Tony was moaning, but she didn't wake up. By contrast to him. Tony jumped up and took a look around. Immediately he stood up and left the bedroom. He headed towards Edward's room and looked inside. Hammer's laugh, which has haunted him through the nightmare to his way towards his son's room, became quieter, when he saw Edward sleeping in his bed.

'Daddy?', he then heard from the next room.

Still thrilled Tony closed the door and ran to Mary. He tear open the door and looked into her tear-stained eyes.

'What's wrong, sweetheart?', he whispered, entered her room and closed the door slowly.

Before the light from the corridor disappeared completely, Mary turned on her bedside lamp.

'Nightmare...', the girl said in return with a shaking voice.

'Oh. I had one, too. Let me make a suggestion', Tony replied and pushed her to the side carefully, then lay down into her bed, wrapping his arms around her intensely, 'I'm going to protect you and you're going to protect me, all right? So nobody can do us any harm.'

Feeling comfortable again Mary nodded and closed her eyes.

The following morning Pepper opened the door quietly and found Tony lying in Mary's bed, legs over the edge, half under the blanket, slobbering on the pillow, on contrary Mary lying on his back, also half carpeted, slobbering on his shirt. Loving Pepper smiled and woke them up carefully.

'Get up, school is waiting. Tony, I'll bring her, then I'll be working, so would you fetch her today, please?'

'Mhmh...', Tony murmured, lifted his head and darted a sleepy glance at her.

During their gaze Mary slid from his fathers back, from the bed and shuffled into the bathroom.

'Don't forget it.'

With these words Pepper left the room again to collect Mary's food from the kitchen.

'Pepper!', Tony suddenly shouted, whereupon she turned back, 'How would you...How would you feel, being named Stark?'

Confused she looked at him, then stepped back towards Tony slowly, who stood up.

'I mean, what does it mean to you...referring me being plain with...us?'

'I don't know, where this is going, honey', she answered and smiled to calm him down, because she noticed he was nervous.

'It's...Virginia Pepper Stark, how does it sound to you?'

'Tony, are you trying to propose?', she meant clumsily.

He shrugged his shoulders.

'I don't know. I'd just like to know...'

'Let's talk about it later. I really need to go now...'

Being unwilling Pepper continued her way to the door. Suddenly Tony added:

'There's a secret!'

In that moment Pepper didn't know, if she should turn to him once more. She stared at the door.

'There's a place inside of my heart...There's a secret...If you want me to, I'll show it to you. Because you're the only thing, I've ever wanted. Pepper, I've got everything. I've seen so much. I've got to know many things. But I felt bad anyway. Because I was looking for something. And I found it in you. The only thing, I'm dreaming about is being with you', Tony became a little bit desperate, as Pepper still didn't react, 'I don't know, what I'm doing...'

This last sentence made her start to listen attentively. Steve's words about Tony's honesty came to her mind.

'I'm afraid of leaving...'

Since Tony lowered his head, he couldn't see Pepper come closer. She lay her hands onto his cheeks and lifted his head.

'You won't leave. I won't let you', she meant, as contrast with him, thinking about his former affairs.

He instead had that one sentence, the doctor in the hospital said to him, in his mind. This one sentence, which changed everything inside of him. Slowly she left the room, taking a last look at Tony, who smiled depressed. When she turned the corner, Tony turned to the window, bit on his hand and tried to hold back his tears. He didn't want Mary to see it. But especially Pepper hadn't to see this. That damn sentence. That god-aweful sentence...

'Sir, Mister Rogers entered the building. He is asking for you.'

Tony rushed into his bedroom and changed his clothes. Quickly he washed his face, then left the room again. Steve already sauntered through the corridor and was telephoning.

'Oh, look, there he is', he then said and gave his mobile phone to Tony.

'Uhm...Hello?'

'Hello, Tony.'

'Oh, what's up, Rhodey?'

'Was just calling my boss, then I thought about you. Because he told me, he was on his way to the Stark Tower. Why is your phone turned off?'

'Is that the only thing you know, to get in contact with me?', Tony laughed, 'By the way, isn't it sad, that you've been working for the army for years and Steve's already your superior?'

'Isn't it sad, that you've been the owner of Stark Industries, gave it to Pepper and now you're, well, let's face it, unemployed?'

Tony laughed again.

'Now: Why have you turned it off?', Rhodey repeated.

'There are...more important things, I need to concentrate on.'

'You don't even know, how right you are with this statement. I need to meet you today.'

'Have you listened to me? I haven't got the time to-'

'Take the time.'

Sighing Tony handed the phone back to Steve and meant:

'Tell him, I'll meet him in half an hour at the Shawarma Café.'

'I can still hear you, Tony!', Rhodes shouted.

Steve pressed the phone against his ear and meant:

'But he can't hear you. He disappeared in Edward's room.'

The boy was already jumping on his bed, when Tony came in. Grinning Tony jumped behind him and said:

'Let's have breakfast!'

Edward was so shocked, that he would have fallen down from the bed, if Tony hadn't grabbed his shirt before.

'Good morning!', the small one shouted back.

Gently Tony put him down from the bed, stepped down himself and responded:

'Good morning. Go and have a wash, change your clothes and let's go.'

He followed the orders, coming from his father, and returned ready to go out. The café, Tony wanted to go, wasn't too far, so he, Edward and Steve took a walk. They already saw Rhodey's car on the parking area.

'WAR MACHINE!', Edward shouted, won lose of Tony's hand and ran into the building.

As Tony and Steve entered and moved over to the table, Edward and Rhodey were sitting at, the colonel said:

'Fast food for breakfast? Ever heard of living a healthy life?'

'Nope. Guilty as charged', Stark replied and took a seat, so Steve did.

'I didn't expect you to take your son with you.'

'Well, it seems to be a parent-problem, that the kids are always around, you know...'

'Yes, I do. Nevertheless I didn-'

'Rhodey, just tell me, what's going on', Tony sighed and handed Edward a napkin, when he saw how the boy smeared his face and his hands with the ordered food.

'The nation needs you.'

'How come? I mean, you always tried to keep me out of that business.'

'Because you are smart.'

Tony laughed out loudly for a moment, then became quiet again, put on a neutral facial expression and replied:

'Thank you.'

'Take this seriously!', Rhodes nagged and looked around shortly, to make sure nobody's attention has been caught by Tony's laughter, 'We got the information, that Banner might be in danger. There's a group coming from a military background, which wants to destroy the Hulk.'

'Destroy the Hulk. I hope, you're able to point out the mistake on your own.'

'Nobody's able to destroy the Hulk!', Edward meant and looked up to Tony.

The father looked back, tousled his son's hair and grinned proudly.

'Eat up.'

Rhodey cleared his throat and continued:

'They've built a destruction-machine just for the Hulk. It's serious, Tony. And we might need you to care for security and to turn that thing off.'

'Hulk is strong enough to protect himself', Tony said in return and was about to stand up, when Edward pushed away his plate.

'The machine's concept is to suck in the strongest power, that's around', Steve added, 'It might kill Banner to lose the Hulk.'

'You'll pay for us, right?', Stark asked, emptied his cup of coffee, took Edward's hand and headed to the door.

'But you're remembering, Banner is located at the Stark Tower by now, aren't you?', Rhodey called.

Tony hasn't turned back, but anyhow he knew Rhodes was right. What if this group wanted to attack Banner, when he was still around? Next to his family. But he couldn't cast him adrift, could he?

'Stark!', Steve shouted.

But Tony still didn't look back. That sentence. Flying around in his head. That damn sentence, which spelled doom for him...

'Use your time for something worthy, as long, as you're able to...', he whispered to himself.

'Huh?', Edward meant and looked up.

Tony pressed his little hand more intensely, looked back and smiled depressed.

'Nothing of importance.'

Later when Steve returned to the Stark Tower, Tony sat in the living-room and turned on his phone again. He detected a list of missed calls from Rhodey and Rogers.

'You haven't understood, what we were telling you, have you!?', the soldier shouted.

A few miles away Pepper answered an incoming phone-call.

'Hey, baby. Pardon? Again!? Mary, calm down. Don't cry. I'm going to be there in a few minutes.'

Angrily she hanged up and immediately called Tony.

'Hey, hon. I'm sorry, I'm a little busy.'

'So busy, you've forgotten to fetch your daughter again?'

'Fuck...Oh, I'm sorry, but I really-'  
'I don't want to hear it. I'm going to fetch her myself. Again!'

She put her phone into her pocket and left the company's building.

Tony put together the information about that group, Rhodey has been talking about.

Pepper entered her car and drove to Mary's school aggressively.

Stark checked up his main-suit. Gently he took off the cloth bandage, when Steve came in.

'Banner's ready. We need to hide him anywhere. Got any idea?'

'Not yet', Tony responded and heaved Edward from the chair on front of the screens and put him down.

Then he took another look at the list.

'I haven't finished!', Edward yelled.

So stressed he was, Tony quickly turned to him and shouted:

'Get the fuck out of here! I don't need you standing behind me!'

Shocked the boy stepped back.

Pepper tried to calm down Mary, when she was carrying her to the car. The girl wept bitterly. Both of them were full of anger and disappointment.

'Fury will send us more agents', Clint let Steve know in the conference-room.

'He wants us to turn on the television', Natasha yelled, when she came in and hanged up her phone.

Tony was right behind her and ordered J.A.R.V.I.S to turn it on. The television, coming out of a wall, turned itself on. They watched a blond guy with glasses standing in front of the camera, saying:

'Doctor Banner, we really need you to stop all this. Can't you see, you're a danger to the world? We'll wait a few minutes, before we'll turn on the machine, that's going to kill the Hulk', Steve saw Tony shaking his head from the corner of his eye.

A gigantic crane behind the man was lifted up. It carried a platform, on which an engineering facility was placed.

'You still don't believe it, Stark?', Steve asked and turned his head to Tony.

'It's near by the tower. Where's Edward?'

Natasha widened her eyes and watched Tony leaving the room. After he has sent the boy to Natasha and told him, to stay close to her, until he returned, Stark used the elevator to get down. Suddenly the camera turned around and showed Tony, exiting the tower.

'Anthony Stark! Where's your friend? Won't he give up?'

'What's you name?', Tony asked.

'What is he doing?', Barton asked Steve and stared at the TV.

'Where is Banner!?', the man repeated.

'You're reminding me of someone, I've beaten up once right here. Who are you?'

'You don't need to know. Watch this!'

'He really messed up with me, so...', Tony looked up, when he heard the sound of a blast, '...You better watch your...', he scrutinized the crane, on whose platform a mechanical device, caged in a safety fence, was moved up, '...next step. Great, too late.'

The snipers and soldiers in tanks, located on the streets, got ready.

'Suit up, guys', Steve said, when J.A.R.V.I.S approved the order to send out Mark 42.

'How did they get here so fast, without anybody noticing? Fury would have-'

'Suit up!'

Rogers ran out of the room and searched for Bruce.

'I don't care about anyone, who dies. I'm willing to pay the price of some lives, when I can rescue the world', the Justin-Hammer-cobycat meant.

The happenings rushed, Tony was only trying to push the memories of Hammer to the back of his mind. Again and again he saw the woman, holding her dead son in her arms. She turned to Pepper, the boy turned to Edward. Then the boy transformed into a girl looking like Mary. Then the image changed again to the real former situation: that strange woman, holding her dead son. His heart started to pound inside of his head. He felt swamped, but tried to get his head clear, when the suit parts girdled his body.

'J.A.R.V.I.S, call Pepper. She should stay, wherever she is.'

'Yes, Sir.'

'Incoming call from Tony', a computer-voice told Pepper, who was on the way home.

'Fuck you', she whispered and turned off the phone.

'Iron Man in action? Well...', the man standing in front of Stark said unimpressed.

Helicopters arrived. They aimed for Stark and waited for the order to shoot.

'Mum?', Mary asked carefully, when she noticed, they were passing many distraught people.

'Not for the moment, honey.'

'Captain, there are snipers on nearly every building's roof around the tower. How is Banner going?'

'I hear you, Stark. Hawkeye, take care about that. Banner is okay, yet. I told him to stay in the laboratory.'

When Steve finally came out, he looked at the enemies, surrounding the whole tower already.

'What should I do?', Iron Man asked and turned his head to the super-soldier.

'These are ordinary people on the wrong way. Try not to kill them.'

Just the moment Steve finished his sentence, the leader of the enemies ordered a tank to shoot an ordinary apartment building. Stunned Rogers stared at the building, which was collapsing.

'Ordinary people, huh?', Stark replied and flew up.

'GET OUT OF YOUR STASH, BANNER!'

'Mummy?', Mary said once more, when both of them saw S.H.I.E.L.D-agents passing them in their cars with a high speed.

'Tony...?', Pepper whispered a little bit shocked.

Then she put her foot down, so Mary was pressed into the seat.

'Captain, this is a problem! There are too many of them! And there's no Hulk, who could help us out. What should we do!?', Clint asked, while he was shooting down some snipers with ease.

'There comes the cavalry', Steve said to himself, when he saw the S.H.I.E.L.D-agents, including Nick Fury, advancing.

'Call back your soldiers, Sir!', he shouted toward the wannabe Hammer, 'We must come to an amicable solution!'

'We must?', the man asked and let another tank shoot a building.

'Now it's over', Tony screamed and shot exactly that tank with the repulsor on his chest.

Protecting themselves against the explosion, Steve and Fury hid behind a car.

'This looks pretty familiar to me, Rogers', the director of S.H.I.E.L.D mentioned.

Upon his attack, the helicopters began to shot Iron Man. This was flung through the air.

'You endanger all these people, can't you see that!?', Steve yelled to the man, who was looking for protection now himself and ran to another tank.

'You endanger the world, by protecting Banner!', he yelled back.

'Apropos protection', Fury meant and pointed at Stark, which still tried to avoid the shots coming from all sides, 'He won't make it long this way.'

Just in time before one of the tanks hit Iron Man, a unmistakable sound filled the area. With a big bang, Thor, Sif, Fandral, Volstagg and Loki appeared in front of the Stark Tower. As Steve looked up, after he was pushed away by the blast, he saw Thor holding his hand towards him.

'Aren't you able to keep peace just for a few years?', the god said and helped him up.

Steve grinned a bit and replied:

'It has been a few years...'

'Could you hold your hen party over!?', Steve heard Tony yelling, 'Cuz I could need some support here!'

Shortly Steve nodded to Thor's friends and meant:

'Thor, Stark needs your help up there. The others might be a great help down here to protect the tower itself and the civilians on the streets.'

The moment Thor used Mjölnir to get up to a roof, Edward ran out of the tower and screamed:

'THUNDERMAN!'

'What the...', Steve replied, 'Where's Natasha?!'

The agent arrived outside and answered:

'I'm sorry, he was too quick.'

Edward's eyes began to shine, when he saw Iron Man flying around the houses, hiding from the shots, and Thor kicking some snipers from the roofs, then concentrating on the helicopters. Before Fury could get on his feet again, Edward stole his walkie-talkie and spoke into it:

'Dad, there are going to activate dis machine.'

Totally confused Tony stopped in the air and looked down.

'Don't look at me, look at that machine! In that information has been said, it would destroy anything with the greatest power nearby. If it isn't the Hulk, what will it be then?'

'The city's power supply...', Tony quietly replied.

Unbelieving Steve stared at the boy, who looked up to the crane. The mechanical device moved up a bit once more and showed up some kind of cannon. At least to Edward it looked like a cannon. The barrel of the cannon contained a vortex out of energy, which could only be seen by Tony, who stood at the same highness. Thor's friends tried to retain the arriving soldiers. The same time Pepper arrived at the tower. She and Mary jumped out of the car. Whereas Pepper was looking for Edward and Tony, Mary immediately raised her head and checked up the situation. The more helicopters Thor was destroying, the more came from all sides.

'There has to be a nest anywhere!', he yelled down, so the others could hear him.

While smashing the soldiers' heads in, Volstagg laughed loudly about Thor's comment.

'Tony!?', Pepper screamed.

'Miss Potts, get away from here!', Steve responded.

Suddenly Mary ran towards them. She has detected her brother, so there was not way, she would stay beyond.

'Mary!', Pepper screamed once again and tried to follow her daughter, who was jumping over S.H.I.E.L.D's barriers. Quickly she ripped the walkie-talkie out of Edward's hands.

'Daddy, behind you!'

Shocked Tony turned around. Not because of the warning, but because he heard his daughter speak to him. He looked down and saw Mary holding Fury's walkie-talkie. Behind him he detected a group of soldiers aiming for him. Before those had been able to shoot, Tony shot himself to put them out of commission.

'What else have you got?', he asked, whereupon Mary looked around attentively.

'You'll have to destroy the machine. There's no other way to safe our green friend! It is collecting power for its purpose!', Edwards let him know again.

Unbelieving both, Fury and Steve, stared at the children for a moment, then changed their glances to the air again, where Tony was trying to destroy the machine with the repulsor on his chest. The charged cage around the machine dashed back Stark's attack and hit him hardly.

'Not this way!', Mary shouted, whereon Tony recovered himself.

Suddenly they heard a loud roar, coming from inside the tower.

'Finally...', the leader said to his soldiers and left the tank again.

He made quick moves to get to the machine. He insisted to see the Hulk's death at close range. He got, what he wanted: Hulk hasted out of the tower, ran towards him and smashed the man against the crane. Surprisingly Hulk noted, that the crane hasn't been damaged at all.

'Hulk! Get away there!', Steve shouted, when Hulk tried to overturn the crane with the dead body, he was holding in his hand, once again.

The soldiers on the streets and in the helicopters concentrated on the Hulk now. There their target was. They shot him, whereupon the other Asgardians tried to surround the monster.

'Dad, can you see the trap-door in that cage? You can reach the device, if you take the way from the platform, through the trap!', Stark's son explained, 'You have to do it now! Other wise...'

The only way to get in there was to put down the suit and climb. Iron Man himself wouldn't fit through, but Tony would.

'J.A.R.V.I.S, activate my boys. I need protection', Tony ordered, after he has seen the others defending the Hulk and the civilians on the streets.

'It would be my pleasure, Sir.'

Therefore Tony landed on a platform beneath the machine and jumped out of the suit, which closed itself again and flew up.

'I need concentration, take orders from the small ones. They're doing a good job', Tony mentioned and appealed to Steve, 'Could need someone to break this trap over here!'

Rogers lifted his head, took a more exact look at the metal-trap, Tony was talking about, and meant:

'Get out of the way!'

Tony jumped to the side, whereupon Steve threw his shield. It hit the trap and flew back to its owner. Proudly, but seriously, Steve scrutinized his work and turned to the enemies again. Climbing through the trap, Tony found himself in front of the control panel.

'Then let's have a look...', he said to himself, 'How can I just turn you off? J.A.R.V.I.S, could you give me some information about the-'

'My abilities are limited, Sir', the computer, which was controlling forty-two suits to protect Stark from any bullets or bombs, replied.

'Hurry uuup!', Mary and Edward yelled at the same time.

Fury ripped the walkie-talkie out of Mary's hands and asked:

'Stark, do you know, what you're doing there?'

'Actually not...', Tony responded and laughed ironically, 'Give it back to them.'

Again unbelieving Fury handed the walkie-talkie to Mary, without looking at her.

'Mary?', Tony asked and stared at the panel's screens.

'Daddy?', she replied.

'I'll never forgive myself, that I haven't hugged you this morning, before you left. I'm sorry for everything, I've done wrong on you two...'

Confused Steve looked at Fury shortly, who seemed to understand, where Tony was going to. The director lowered his head and listened to Stark's voice.

'I'll have to protect everything, I love, did you hear me?'

Also confused the children looked at each other.

'So care about Pepper...and each other.'

With these words Tony pushed a button on the panel, whereupon the cannon was directed towards the scientist.

'It's too late to turn it off, Eddie...', he added, lowered his head, grinned depressed and squint his eyes, whereon tears ran down his cheeks.

'No, you'll have to-', Edward started, but suddenly the machine made a loud noise.

Both, soldiers and Avengers and their support, stopped fighting and looked up to the platform. As Tony looked down on his chest, because he was feeling strange, he saw the energy of the arc-reactor disappearing into the cannon's barrel. It just made a loud thud. The second, Tony felt safe again, the arc-reactor's light went out. A sudden blast from the cannon hurled him against the cage, which wasn't under electric-protection anymore, because the machine needed every energy, it could get.

Slowly the crane collapsed, after the cannon has handled the reactor's energy.

Use your time for something worthy, Tony thought, before he felt a stitch in his chest.

'Thor! Hulk! Anyone, get him down there!', Steve screamed then.

Immediately Thor and Hulk jumped towards the platform. Hulk destroyed the cage, Thor collected Tony, then they jumped down again. The S.H.I.E.L.D-agents used the distraction to immobilise the hostile soldiers. Carefully Thor put Tony down on the ground and looked at him. Steve and Pepper ran over, whereas Natasha knelt down and took the children into her arms. The Hulk roared loudly, apparently grinning, because it worked the first time. But not this time. Once more Hulk roared.

Pepper lay her hand under Tony's head and started crying. Captain America lowered his head and closed his eyes. Thor stared desperately at the father. Confused Hulk roared again.

'HULK, STOP!', Steve shouted, with all the power he could get into his voice, and looked angrily at the creature, which stepped back nearly shocked, 'It's over!'

'No. Tony...Tony, wake up...', Pepper sobbed, 'Please...Open your eyes...Tony, don't leave!'

Carefully Mary tried to look at her father. Quietly she asked:

'Daddy...?'

Edward on the other hand was changing glances between his sister, who started crying slowly, and Pepper, who leaned down and gave Tony a last soft kiss on his lips. He actually didn't understand, what was happening. It hasn't been the first time his father was lying on the ground, not moving, with his eyes shut. But anything seemed to be different this time. His dad looked a little bit unlikely. Suddenly Mary began to scream and cried even more. She stared at Tony's wrist, around which he was wearing the blue cloth bandage, she has tied round the suit's wrist before. Tenderly Natasha stroke over her head, stood up and lifted both kids on her arms. Wordless she went into the tower.

'Miss Potts...?', Fury carefully asked and watched the woman caressing pulling Tony's hair back again and again, 'We need to carry him away from where now...I am so sorry...'

Shortly Pepper rubbed her eyes and stood up. Her deeply saddened face changed to a concerned, but severe expression. Without any word she entered the Stark Tower.

'Just like a warrior', Fandral mentioned.

'Both of them were...', Thor replied, whereupon Sif lay her hand on his shoulder.

While many reporters stormed over the debris, Fury observed some of his agents taking away the dead bodies, including Stark's.

Later he met Hawkeye, Black Widow, Thor and the other gods and Captain America in the conference-room of the tower.

'I've talked to Miss Potts. She's caring about the girl. She can't stop crying.'

'Tell us anything useful...', Steve replied ungratefully.

'Before he was fetched from the hospital, he called me...'

Natasha raised her head slowly and stared at the director.

'He wanted me to know, he only had some days left. The electromagnet in his chest only defered his death. Therefore, when that fucked up machine sucked in the reactor's energy, the blast pushed the splinters into the cardiac septum...They have been saying, it would be too late to take the splinters out already. He should have cared about it earlier. It would have been to risky already...'

Angrily Steve turned from the window to Fury and shouted:

'Why hasn't he done it earlier then!?'

'An operation is risky anyway. He was afraid, he could die, during that. Additionally he had to care about his family. He has told me, his kids were the reason, he hadn't got time to care about the problem in his heart...'

'I just don't understand w-'

'Are you mad about him?', Thor asked wondering.

'By the way: What is your freaking brother doing here!?', Steve replied, getting louder.

'Calm down. He has paid the price for his offence. He was a great help to get here...'

Not knowing, what to do with himself, his anger and sadness, Steve kicked a chair and left the room.

'Where is Banner?', Fury meant and looked around.

'A while ago he has been here. Then he retreated from all...of this.'

On the corridor, Steve pressed his forehead against the wall, squint his eyes and whispered:

'Tony...'

'What are you doing?', he suddenly heard somebody say.

When he turned his head he looked in a well-known face. Stark's grin.

'Tony...?', he repeated and took a more exactly look.

Confused Edward lay his head on his own shoulder and replied:

'Huh?'

Disappointed Steve turned away. Then he knelt down and opened his arms, so Edward ran over, pressed himself against the soldier and cuddle him gently.

'Are you okay?', Steve whispered and stroked over the small one's head.

'Yap.'

'Okay...', Steve answered and held back his tears.

Late in the night Pepper slowly left Mary's room. In between she made sure, Edward was okay and would go to bed, but when she passed his room-door, she heard him say:

'I knew it! Yap, I',ll do it! Oh...okay. Our little secret, gotcha!'

Carefully she opened the door and looked inside. Edward stopped jumping on his bed, let himself fall down and disappeared under the blanket.

'I love you...', she whispered and closed the door quietly.

'We love you, too', the boy whispered back, but she couldn't hear him.

Wordless she passed Steve, who used the intercom.

'Good night, Doctor Banner', he meant and took a short look at Pepper.

After she has turned the corner, Steve suddenly heard a silent voice:

'Finally got it? How to...use those things?'

As he turned around quickly, he found himself standing alone on the corridor.

Downstairs Bruce was sitting in the shop. He has been hoping to find Stark sitting on his chair, puzzling over something. But he hasn't been there. A short moment Bruce suddenly felt a hand laying on his shoulder. When he turned his head, he could have sworn to smell Tony's scent.

Thor was walking up and down in the living-room, when he heard:

'Bored? There's still beer in the fridge, my friend. Take what you want!'

Confused he rushed around and looked into Loki's also confused eyes.

'What is it, brother?'

'No...Nothing.'

Pressing her face into the wet pillow, Mary remembered better times. Times, when her dad has taken walks with them. When he laughed with them. When he spent warmness to them. When he was playing with them. When he was shouting at her and immediately apologised, as she started crying. When he ran through the tower, searching her and Edward, shouting:

'Cuddle-time, where are my babies!?'

When she was younger and he threw her up into the air to show her how it feels to be Iron Man. She also remembered that happy expression on his face, when she has been smiling at him. When she laughed about him. When she and Edward played tricks on him. When he had got nightmares, came to her bed and begged for protection. The times, when he freaked out subtly, if anyone in school was angering her or her brother. That loving voice, when he was trying to make her sleep. Be it reading a story from her books or gently stroking over her skin and through her hair.

She laughed snivelling to herself, as she remembered him kneeling in front of her, saying:

'Give me a smooch', because in return she pressed her palm on his mouth and looked into that invaluable ridiculous face.

Slowly she closed her eyes then, because they started it hurt. Having all these images of her father in her mind, she suddenly felt warmness around her body. A strong arm pressed her against...she looked up and couldn't believe it...her father's body. Lovely the man looked back and smiled. Mary took a deep breath, but Tony lay one finger over her mouth and meant:

'Hush...'

They remained cuddling for a while, until he said:

'I'm sorry, sweetheart...But I got to go...Always remember now you have to protect, what's most important to me...I love you, my dear...Mary. Keep me inside of your heart...'

As she opened her eyes, he disappeared. Immediately she jumped out of the bed and ran out. She continued her way to the elevator. She has been to excited to wait for it, so she ran down the stair and entered the shop. Shocked Banner turned his head to her. But she didn't seem to recognise him anyway. Slowly she walked over to the remained suits and stopped in front of them. Bruce could literally observe her brave heart growing. Later she returned to her room.

At this moment Pepper already was sleeping. It took a while, until she could fall asleep, but she made it. Suddenly she felt a tickle in her nose. She opened her eyes and jumped up. She found herself lying on a blanket in the grass. Then she heard the children laughing. As she looked further, she detected them playing in a lake nearby the grassland, she was lying on.

'What's wrong?'

Slowly she turned her head to the side and stared at Tony, who sat up and took down his sunglasses.

'Where am I...', she asked back, when she saw Thor and Jane lying next to them, Bruce sitting next to Steve and watching him drawing the splashing children, Clint and Natasha walked over hand in hand slowly.

Tony wrapped his arms around her and tear her down on the blanket again. It felt so real to her. His touches. His voice sounded real. Loving he stroked over her arm and meant:

'The secret place...'

Afraid of waking up, Pepper decided not to question.

'I really fucked it up this time, didn't I, my dear?', he asked quietly.

This made Pepper wake up the next morning. Waiting for Pepper, Rhodey sat in the lobby and watched Loki, who was standing in a corridor and said:

'Ready?'

'Thank you...'

James stood up and took a more exactly look, when he heard a voice, he has known for a long time. The god turned around and looked back silently. Rhodey shook his head and continued waiting.

As Fury has organised the funeral, Pepper only had to care about her children to get ready. Later they met at the cemetery. Clouds covered the sky, lying a depressing mood on the attendees. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D delivered a speech, Pepper wasn't really able to follow. She started crying again. Edward looked at his mother. Suddenly he realised, what was happening. Seeing his mother cry, made himself cry as well. Now he understood, his father wouldn't come back anymore. The only one, who smiled, by hearing Fury's words about a never dying hero, was Mary...

At the end of the speech, the gods stood in front of the coffin and started singing an impressive song in an old Asgardian language, they used to sing, to say good bye to great warriors. As Thor had to bit on his lip, avoiding to cry, Loki took his singing-part. When Odinson calmed down a little, he finished the song with his deep voice...

A few minutes of silence filled the area, until Fury meant:

'Let's come to his last wish...'

Agent Maria Hill pushed a button to start the audio equipment. Unbelieving the attendees lifted their heads and stared at each other, when they heard the song 'Highway to hell' by ACDC.

'Seriously?', Steve laughed a bit and wiped his nose.

'It's Stark, what did you expect?', Barton answered laughing.

Back at the Stark Tower all the attendees sat together, talking, drinking coffee. Thor walked over to the fridge and took out a bottle of beer.

'Thor?', Natasha wondered, 'What are you doing?'

'Well...', Thor started, 'Last night, when I was walking around, I heard Stark saying, there was beer for me in the fridge and I could take all I wanted.'

'Huh...Funny.', Clint meant, 'I dreamt of him, coming to me...And he told me to take care of Tasha, because a woman like her in a man's life, would be the most important thing...'

'He has told me the same on you', Natasha responded.

'Ha ha...'

Clint lowered his head, but Romanoff started laughing.

'No, seriously! He exactly said that and broke out in laughter.'

'Funny, that you mentioned that', Steve brought up, 'When I was saying good night to Banner, I heard his voice...Well, at least I was sure, it was him. He made jokes about me, using the intercom...'

Attentively Pepper raised her head and looked at the Avengers.

'Down in the shop...', Bruce then started, 'I was thinking about the...the happenings and suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. And I was sure to smell Tony's scent, although nobody else has been there...'

Loki turned away from the others, but continued listening. Pepper addressed her son:

'What secret?'

'Huh?', the boy answered and looked on the ground.

'Which secret have you been talking about tonight?'

'I haven't got a secret...Maybe a little bit more, but I don't know about the secret, you're talking about!'

Wordless the adults stared at the child, until Mary mentioned:

'A hero never dies.'

Simultaneously the children lifted their arms and formed the sign of peace with their hands.

Time went by. One day Steve Rogers returned to Stark Tower. He met Miss Potts, who just came home from work, and asked:

'Where's Stark?'

'Should be up on the party-deck. Still loves great performances', she meant, smiled and entered the elevator.

Silently Steve stood next to her and watched the elevator driving up. She left the elevator one storey beneath the party-deck and dismissed. Leaving the elevator one step further, Steve already detected a young, brown-haired man standing before the high windows, looking out. The soldier stopped next to him. Edward turned his head a bit, smiled, then looked out again.

'Finally mine are working, too.'

'Heard about it', Steve responded and spotted Iron Man flying across the high buildings of New York.

As the armour landed on the outside platform, the gripper arms moved out of the bottom and escorted the suit's pilot inside, while taking off the suit-parts. Arrogantly Mary took a short look at Steve, then headed to the elevator, saying:

'Captain', nodding to him.

'Stark', Steve said in return to her detached...


End file.
